Unfortunate Reunion
by kr3ativ23
Summary: Nick starts to act out because of some bad news from home but won't tell anyone what happened. Can his team help him even if he won't accept their help? His skeletons are revealed. Sometimes it has to get worst before it can get better. Please Review!
1. Torment

Unfortunate Reunion

Nick starts to act out at work because of some bad news from home. Can his team help him even if he refuses to tell them what's wrong or accept their help? Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch1: Torment

* * *

><p>The team catching up on paperwork in the break room and keeping each other company. It was a slow day... Or night, even though shift just began usually they have a few homicides or assaults waiting for them but to everyone's surprise and liking it was a slow night. The energy was calming as they watched TV and caught up with their work.<p>

"Sara, do you have an extra pen mine died?" Greg pouted.

"Greg, this isn't high school. What makes you think I have extras?" Sara said smirking, sliding a pen over. Greg graciously takes it but fiddles with the top causing it to fly in the air and land in Morgan's coffee. Everyone is in awe briefly before Morgan starts laughing and then everyone starts laughing.

"Nice, Greg." Catherine says chuckling.

"How does that happened?" Morgan says watching the top sink to the bottom of her fresh coffee cup.

"I swear it was an accident," Greg said trying to cover his laughter. Nick enters the room confused.

"Party in the break room?" Nick said touching the back of Catherine's chair.

"How was court?" Catherine asked. Nick had seemed a little preoccupied lately and no one knew why. No one dared to ask but Catherine asked him if everything was alright and he assured her that everything was fine like he always did.

"Did you warm them up for me?" Morgan asked fishing for the pen top out.

"Are you kidding? Juries love me," Nick said his accent peeking its head.

Catherine nearly choked hearing him say that.

"What about the juror who called you a dumb redneck?" she says wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Really?" Morgan said as Greg laughed.

"Okay... Most juries love me. But I sealed it, for sure." Nick said smiling giving a cocky nod.

"Hook, line, sinker." Greg said mocking the car insurance commercial, causing everyone to start laughing again. Nick's phone vibrated the whole table; Nick grabs his phone searching through his pockets finally finding it. His face changes as he sees the caller ID.

"Who is it, Nicky?" Catherine said as Nick just left, without saying a word to anyone.

"Important phone call?" Sara said, as Morgan pushed her coffee cup in front of Greg.

"You got it in there. You get it out." Morgan demanded with a smile.

"My pleasure," Greg said smirking.

"Easy you too," Catherine said as DB came in the room.

"I'm going to get lunch. Does anybody want anything?" DB said pausing as Nick's voice echoed throughout the lab. His tone was that of someone who was very angry. Even though his words were not understandable but the rage in his voice certainly was. Everyone's hair on the back of their neck stood out and Catherine felt goose bumps. The only other times Nick ever gave her goose bumps was when he was buried alive, seeing him on the screen just shocked all of her nerves, and when he said he wasn't scared to die. They heard Nick's echo again and everyone else was quiet, and looked around confused.

"What's wrong with Nick?" DB asked, Catherine shrugged her shoulders and walked towards Nick voice finding him in the layout room.

"...well I wish them the best of luck!" Nick yelled in a sarcastic tone, hanging up his phone and shoving it in his pocket. "God damn!" Nick says harshly under his breath. He leans against the evidence shelf covering his face with his other hand.

"Nick..." Catherine said quiet but still startling him. "Is everything alright..." she said trailing off as Nick left walking past her. He hit the elevator button like a maniac. Catherine followed just watching. Once the elevator proved to slow Nick raced down the stairs. "Nicky!" she yelled grabbing his arm and turning him around. "What is going on?" she begged, Nick's eyes were glistening and she saw a tear rolling down his check. "Nicky..." she said but he quickly wiped it away and pulled his arm away.

"Leave me alone..." Nick said not anger but more so second guessing his own words.

He continued on to the garage stopping when he got to his jeep. He holds the back for support and loosening his tie. He felt as if his world was spinning and all the air was being sucked out of his chest. He walks over to his car seeing Catherine in the mirror. Guilt and the feeling of shame took him over when he saw Catherine worried. He felt terrible and plagued with guilt, and threw up right next to his car. Catherine got worried but she couldn't do anything because Nick had sped out of the garage.

Catherine turned around and saw DB eating a muffin and raising an eyebrow at her.

"Is everything alright with Nick?" DB asked.

"Um... I think he got some bad news from home." Catherine said unsure of what did just happened.

* * *

><p>I'm continuing this. What do you think is wrong with Nick?<p> 


	2. Help

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch2: Help

* * *

><p>Catherine had been calling all around to the spots that Nick had usually went when he was having a rough time. She knew many of the managers and bosses on a first name basis because of this. It wasn't just for Nick, she picked up Greg a few times from certain areas, but when Warrick was around she would get calls from him or for him to pick him up, a lot. She only had to pick up Nick a few times. However, she wasn't surprised when she got a phone from a strip club owner who was also a good friend of Catherine's. She arrived at the small strip club, and was greeted by Mart Glick the owner.<p>

"Hey Catherine," he said giving her a light embrace.

"Hey Marty, where is he?" she asked.

"Follow me. He was already drunk when he got here I swear." he said bringing her to a private booth.

"How long has he been he?"

"About an hour I'd say,"

"Alright thanks," Catherine said peeking her head. Nick was so drunk he was barely paying attention to the dancer; he was paying more attention to his near empty beer bottle. The dancer was swinger her hips and climbing the pole. He was slouched over almost laying down. His tie was gone, his shirt was untucked and wrinkled, and his hair was a mess. He didn't even notice the stripper leave but he saw Catherine and smiled.

"You going dance for me?" Nick asked chuckling.

"No..." Catherine said slightly shocked that Nick would ask her that.

"Then leave me alone." he says realizing his beer was empty and throwing it aside.

"Nicky, what's going on with you?"

"nothing..." he said sitting up as if he was debating whether or not to tell her what was on his mind but didn't. He stood up, nearly falling, and headed for the door.

"Nicky..." Catherine said as Nick left taking a deep breath of the night air. He then continued his staggered steps towards his car with Catherine on his heels.

"Just leave me alone..." Nick said slightly turning. He slipped and shoulder checked the grill of his Jeep.

"Damn Nicky," Catherine said trying to help him up. Nick rested his back against his jeep and pushed Catherine.

"Leave me alone!" Nick cried. He helped himself up.

"Nicky, you can't drive... You're drunk." Catherine said. Nick shook his head and got in his car locking the door and taking off. "Dang it, Nick!"

By the time she got to Nick's house she must have been only ten minutes behind him. She saw his jeep parked in his lawn. She went to knock on his door seeing all the lights in his house on. She knocks on his door. She hears a grumble drunken groan in the response.

"Nick..." she says grabbing his spare key. If it wasn't as evident that something was wrong Catherine would leave him alone. But for someone to see disaster and devastation as often as they, and to have such physical reaction to some news from home. She immediately feared the worst.

Once she got inside she looked around and found him on the floor next to his couch humming. She helps him onto the couch and looks at him as she sits on his coffee table. He burps loudly and blows it in her face, causing her face to twist. She felt her stomach cringe slightly as the scent of hot alcohol burn her nostrils.

"You've always been a whiskey man..."

"You gotta... Gotta... A cigarette?" Nick said barely able to form a sentence. He stared at Catherine, waiting for her answer, but she raises an eyebrow and then he raises one back at her.

"Nick, you know I don't smoke." Catherine says but Nick just laughs raising his arms in surrender.

"Okay..."

"How much have you had to drink?"

"No... I don't know... Or care." Nick said, he stunk of whiskey and beer.

"What is going on, Nick? I'm starting to worry about you. Did something happen back home? Is your family alright?"

"Everyone is just... Fucking peachy," he said standing making his way to the bathroom. He stumbled breaking his wall, Catherine went to help but again Nick physically pushed her away.

"Nicky..."

"I don't need your help. Please leave me alone..." Nick begged with his eyes glassy. He stands and makes his way to the bathroom and gets sick in the toilet. The strong scent of booze quickly filled the bathroom, making Catherine's stomach upset.

Once everything in Nick's stomach was out, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and rested against the bathtub. He looked up at Catherine with a look of profound defeat in his eyes and one lonely tear made its way down his cheek which he quickly wiped it away. Catherine prepared a cool damp cloth as she flushed the toilet. She put the cloth on her friend's head.

"I'm sorry, Cath..." he said like a child in trouble. Nick's behavior did make Catherine think he was being quiet childish. He sat against the tub with his legs curled against his chest. He was refusing to make eye contact and he looked like he was about to explode into tears at any moment.

"Its okay, Nicky. I won't ask you anymore." Catherine said and watched as more tears filled his eyes. It broke her heart to see her friend like this and not know what to do to help.

"I... I..." he stuttered as more tears broke through his steel gates, his chin dimpled and his lip quivered as he fought tears. Catherine placed the cloth on his neck and sat in front of him on his bathroom floor. "I don't... I don't know... What to do?" was the only thing he could say as he broke down into hysterical sobs. Catherine held his head trying to offer some comfort knowing that whatever was on his mind was a lot more than she had expected, but yet still not knowing what it was.

* * *

><p>What do you think is bothering Nick? Catherine figures it out in the next chapter.<p> 


	3. Reunion

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch3: Reunion

* * *

><p>Catherine slept on Nick's couch to make sure that he was alright. She woke up before him and started to clean up for him. His living room was scattered in beer bottles. Catherine grabbed a beer bottle off the end table in the living room and saw his answer machine flashing, thirteen new messages.<p>

Catherine hears the phone ringing and seeing that it had an out of state area code and sees the name Jake Stokes. She debates whether or not to answer it but something told her to, she answers and man starts ranting.

"Finally, you answer the damn phone boy! I tired of all this, you son of a bitch! You made ma, cry. Well, you can't hide 'cause I'm in Vegas now so we can talk."

"Excuse me..." Catherine says confused by the man's hostility. His accent was just as thick as Nick's even his voice sounded similar.

"Who is this?"

"Who's this?" Catherine retorted.

"Jake Stokes, who is this?" he said. Catherine heard Nick moving in his room.

"I'm Nick's friend," Catherine said as Nick stumbles out into the living. He squints due the brightness of all the sunlight, he had the worse hangover of his life. Unfortunately for him though he still remembered what caused him to drink.

"Can I talk to him?" Jake said, at the same time Nick looked at Catherine, mouthing who is it?

"It's your brother?" Catherine whispered handing him the phone. Nick takes the phone and hangs up and unplugs his phone from the wall. "Why don't you want to talk to your brother?"

"What are you still doing here?" Nick asked Catherine going into his laundry room in search for a shirt. Catherine was seriously confused.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright... Nicky, what's going on? Your brother calls and you hang up, you have thirteen messages and I'm going to bet that they are all from him. I'm worried about you,"

"Don't worry. This is nothing I can't handle,"

"I don't believe you. I just want to help."

"I don't need your help... I'm fine!" Nick said walking away from her.

"Please Nicky..."

"Get out of my house!" Nick said finally exploding but soon regretting his words as he saw Catherine flinch as he exclaimed. "Leave me alone... I'll see you at the lab..." he said seriously defeated and walking into his room slamming the door shut.

Catherine doesn't want to leave her friend in such a depressing state but is afraid that if she asks him anymore then she may push him away. She leaves just as upset as when she came.

* * *

><p>Catherine gets to the lab and sees DB talking to a man out in front of the lab. The man looks like Nick just older a little rounder, he's gray hair by his ears with a goatee. Catherine assumes that this is Nick's brother, Jake.<p>

"Catherine!" DB yells. Catherine walks over to the men. "Catherine I would like you to meet Jake Stokes. Nick's older brother." DB gets a phone call and leaves.

"Why are you here?" Catherine asks, in defense mode for Nick.

"I have to talk to my brother," Jake said, his voice was shocking similar to Nick's.

"You know he doesn't want to talk to you,"

"Yea but, he's being stubborn and I'm trying to find out what's going on with him."

"How come he doesn't want to talk to you?"

"I don't know. He stopped talking to me when I started seeing my new fiancée. He hasn't come to any of the family reunions, talked to any of us, come home to Texas in years, and yelled at our ma about my wedding." Jake said his nostrils flaring with anger. He was mad.

"So he's mad at because of your fiancée?" Catherine says, taken back that Nick has been acting like this because of a female.

"I think so. It doesn't make any sense, because Nick knows her. I dated her in high school, and that she even watched Nick when he was younger..." he says continuing to talk but Catherine was frozen.

"She use to be his baby sitter?"

"Well kind of, she was the last minute baby sitter that's how we met..." Jake says but before Catherine can react Jake starts yelling for Nick who just arrived. Nick looks like he's seen a ghost. He tries to walk away but Jake calls for Nick again and walks towards him.

"Nick!" Jake runs to Nick cutting him but Nick walks around him. "Nick, what the hell?" Jake pushes Nick.

"Jake, get out of here. I'm not talking to you about this at work." Nick tried to reason with his older brother.

"No! We are going to talk about this now! You won't answer or return anyone's phone calls. Ma is heartbroken, you little punk!" Jake says anger pushing Nick again. The push wasn't hard but more annoying than anything and got everyone's attention.

"Security." Nick called and watches as Jake's eye grew wide.

"You'd really call security on me?" Jake said pushing him again harder.

"Just leave!" Nick says pushing his brother, DB stood between the men trying to separate the men. The brothers share a hostile share and the parking lot is deathly quiet as everyone looks on.

"You want Dana, don't you?" Jake asked, and Nick's face turned to disgust and anger and slams his brother with a push. Jake pushes DB out of the way and gets in Nick's face. "You want my Dana?" Jake said pinching Nick in the face. Nick stumbles back as his brother charges him again but Nick tackles. The two men wrestle on the pavement for about 15 seconds before DB, and Catherine could separate the brothers. DB pulled Jake away pinning him against a car. As Catherine pulled on Nick's waistband of his jeans with all her might causing him to fall.

"c'mon, kid." Brass said padding Nick on the chest. He ran over and got there just as the fighting stopped. Nick checked his elbow that was skinned.

"Why can't you be like the rest of us? Everyone else is happy and excited!"

Jake yelled pushing against DB. "Everyone is glad that you're not going! What, because you live away from the family you think you are better than us?"

"You live in San Diego!" Nick said as Catherine was holding him back.

"At least I visit! Don't bother coming to the wedding no one wants you there anyway!"

"I'd rather chew on glass then go!"

"You probably wouldn't even recognize anyone anyway! When's the last time you visited? Huh?" Jake yelled. Nick waves his arm and walked away.

"Nicky..." Catherine said trying to grab Nick's arm but he pulled away.

"Yeah! Walk away! You have already abandoned everyone else!" Jake says.

"Aye now! Listen here! You get off this property right now or I will have you arrested!" DB said strong and intimidating, Jake stepped towards DB. "Try me!" DB said with Officer Mitch by his side and Brass on the other. Catherine was shocked to see Nick get in a fight but it finally made sense to her why Nick had been acting the way he had been.

Catherine finds Nick on the roof with his legs dangling off the edge. Nick's eyes are red and he looks distraught and as if he has given up hope in the world.

"Nicky, I know." Catherine says walking towards him. "I know why you're upset."

"That doesn't make me feel any better though."

"Get off the ledge." she says but he turns away and Catherine sees a tear fall from his eyes.

"My family hates me, I can't do my job and my brother is going to marry my abuser. What is going to happen to my nieces and nephews?" he cries Catherine pulls him off the ledge.

"Everything is going to be alright we will figure out what to do." Catherine tells him.

"That's just it. I don't know what to do. You are the only one who knows what has happened to me and now it could happen to my nephews because I didn't speak up! This is my fault!" Nick cried.

* * *

><p>The truth is out. What would you do if you were Nick? Could you understand his anxiety?<p> 


	4. Judgment

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch4: Judgment

* * *

><p>Nick looks at his reflection in his mirror that hangs from his locker. He felt like the biggest chump and baby. He's spent so much time trying to forget and move on that it has just left in a mess. He hated himself for getting in a fight with his brother; it's not his brother's fault he doesn't know. No one does, he made sure of that but now it doesn't seem like it was worth it.<p>

Nick changes his shirt; he looks at the cut on his elbow and puts a band aid on it. He pushes on his swollen eye it was just starting to bruise. He reaches for the ice pack in his locker, he punches it activating it. He cautiously puts it on his eye.

Nick sits in the break room trying to focus on his paperwork in front of him.

Nick remembers all the times his older brother would beat him up. Jake was the oldest of nine, while Nick was the sixth. There was a nine year difference between the two men.

His brother's words stinging his memory. Nick already felt alienated from his family. During his high school years Nick was a serious athlete and was rarely home, and was able to get a full scholarship to a college that was just far enough for him to live and be away from everyone except for the holidays. Then after school he was able to get a good job and buy his own place before coming to Vegas. The rest of his siblings were a lawyer, prosecutor, and a police officer… Nick was a scientist. After Nick was buried alive his whole perspective on life and family changed. His parents stayed with him for a week and then returned to Texas, Nick felt like a he was burdening them. He rarely got calls to come and visit so he started to call them but was often met by the answering machine. So when he stopped calling and stopped getting calls he figured out where he stood. Then the memories turned dark when he starts to think about his baby sitter, Dana Chrysler, or now known as Jake's fiancée.

Nick shakes his head, listening to the ice sloshing around in the pack. He tries to stop the thought from plaguing his mind; these demons have haunted him for years and have controlled his life. Nick trusts virtually no one, and his wall has been up for so long that he doesn't know how to take it down or if he even should. But he shakes his head, getting rid of any pettiness for himself. He curses himself for letting this eat away at him for so long. He is a CSI and has dealt with many child abuse cases some that are similar to his own story but each case he tells the victim to be strong and move on with his life but he has yet to do that himself. Nick tells himself that he will not be a victim anymore.

"Nicky..." Catherine says startling Nick. After all that has happened it would be fair to say that Nick was jumpy.

"Huh? What?" Nick said looking up at her as she sat next to him. She pulls the ice away and looks at his eye briefly before putting the ice on it.

"How are you feeling?" she asks, Nick shrugs his shoulders shutting his file putting his arm over it so that Catherine couldn't see. He felt numb from everything and confused.

"I dunno," he says turning his attention back towards his hands as he spun his pen.

"What do you have there?" Catherine asks seeing Nick trying to cover up the file and try to ice his eye.

"Just trying to catch up on some old cases," Nick said nonchalantly, Catherine knew he was lying but didn't call Nick out because she didn't want to add to his stress and push him away. She wanted Nick to have no one to be able to talk to her.

"Just take it easy. I'm going to be in my office in case you need me." Catherine said padding Nick on the shoulder and left. Nick put the ice on the table and leaned back in his chair staring at the ceiling.

"Searching for the answers?" DB asked walking in going to the coffee machine.

"Something like that," Nick said leaning back forward tapping his pen.

"Nick, is everything alright?" DB asked taking the seat Catherine had just left. Nick awkwardly stopped tapping his pen and turned to his new boss.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about all the ruckus that happened."

"Don't worry about it… your eye is going to bruise nicely," he said stirring his coffee, chuckling a little trying to lighten the mood but was only meant by Nick's halfhearted smile.

"Yea..." Nick said looking down at the file he had been trying to work on.

"But listen Nick, in all seriousness, if you want to duck out early I'll understand," DB whispered, Nick smiled.

"I appreciate the offer DB but I think I'll be alright, but thank you." Nick said giving him a genuine smile.

"Well, if you want to have a family meeting I'm always ready," DB said.

"Thank you but I think I'll be alright," Nick said. DB leaves Nick alone and goes and sees Catherine.

"Hey Cath," he said walking in sitting on her sofa looking up at the ceiling in a similar way Nick was.

"Yeah, DB."

"Is Nick alright?" he asked looking at her hard trying to read her emotions.

"You just talked to him, you tell me?" Catherine said meeting his gaze. DB leaned back looking at the ceiling again as if he too was searching for answers.

"Nick isn't going to talk to me. Nick sees me as the boss, or the new guy and not a friend so he puts a wall up. I know you talked to him because he's almost out of the fog he's been in... Listen Catherine I'm not looking to give anyone a rip... All i want to know is if Nick can still do his job effectively?" DB asked, almost begging.

"I would trust Nick's judgment." she says. A year ago she would have said no and begged DB to send him home but now she trusts his judgment... Almost. However with this she did, she certainly did not know why.

"Okay, nice talk." DB said leaving.

Catherine started to think. As a CSI, Nick has somewhat matured certainly being shot and having Langston come and go did do a lot to his psyche. She certainly did not want to be in his shoes right now and could not even imagine how he felt. His brother is about to marry his abuser, the woman who stole his child. Catherine couldn't imagine carrying that every day and not telling anyone for so long. When Nick confessed that he never told anyone before she thought he meant people outside of the family but by his brother's reaction, she knew she was the only one period. How can someone carry that their whole life and not tell anyone?

* * *

><p>How do you think Nick is handling everything? What about his vow to no longer be a victim?<p>

Please Review!


	5. Response

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch5: Response

* * *

><p>Later on after shift everyone gets breakfast together. Nick's mind is still preoccupied but he still maintains a somewhat happy demeanor. After a long shift the last thing anyone needs is to have Nick be terrible company. He knew everyone was concerned but he didn't want to acknowledge it. He wanted to just ignore everything and hope it would go away.<p>

"After dark day brought to light in sin city," Hodges said sittin at the team's usual booth.

"That was beautiful, Hodges." DB said sitting.

"yeah, where did you hear that? Comic con? Makes me feel like a comic hero." Catherine chuckled and Nick open mouth laughed

"actually, Catherine..." Hodges drawled until the whole team looked at him awaiting his answer. "well, then never mind."

"you know that does make me feel like a super hero in a way." Morgan said.

"last time on the adventures of sin city," Greg said mimicking a tv narrator. "the grave shift team solved two double homicides in record timing... Keeping the streets safe until another day!" everyone started laughing.

"I feel like your school years may have been strangely similar," Nick said to Greg and Hodges.

"ain't that the truth, G." Hodges said playfully pushing Greg.

"not everyone was a athlete, Nick." Greg joked.

"now just 'cause I would rather play sports then be on a science club or the math team. Doesn't mean anything." Nick joked back.

"yeah, Nick except you are the only one who really scores when we have the annual baseball games..." Sara said.

"or flag football..." Catherine quickly added.

"or basketball..." Greg said.

"okay, I get it." everyone chuckled as Nick blushed. Nick turned his attention to his cellphone turning it off. The team eats and the mood has went from worried to content, after the team saw Nick participating in the conversations and sharing laughs they had convinced themselves that he was alright. As everyone was making there departure Nick noticed that his front wheels on his truck where flat.

"you gotta be kidding me?" Nick chuckled slapping the hood of his car. He looked up at the sky shaking his head. "why me?" he whispered.

"Nicky, you need a ride?" Catherine asked.

"yeah, I got two flats."

"some days just aren't ours," Catherine said as Nick got in her car.

"I haven't had any control this day from the start." Nick chuckled, Catherine just gave him a nervous smile knowing just how right he really is.

When they get to Nick's house, Nick sees his parents and his brother.

"oh my gosh," Nick said scratching his head. "um, thanks for the ride Catherine." he said as she stopped just shy of his full drive way. Catherine was just about to leave when she heard arguing. She decided to get out of the car and saw Nick and Jake just about where they left off. Nick's father, Roger, was in the middle trying to separate the two as Nick's mother, Jillian, watched. Catherine helped get Nick away.

"what is your problem with Dana?" Jake asked going stir crazy angry.

"If you really knew her you'd stay away from her and not let her anywhere near your kids." Nick yelled pushing his brother. The words seemed to rub Nick's mom the wrong way, she felt goose bumps cover her whole body and felt her stomach knot up.

"oh! I'm really getting parenting advice from a guy who has no kids and has never been married! Oh yeah that refreshing!"

"I thought you didn't care what I thought!"

"Don't do that, you smartass!" Jake said with a great annoyance. Catherine was subconsciously a little happy to know that she wasn't the only one who got Nick's sarcasm in a heated discussion.

"I'm not talking about this! You bring, what, ma and pa up from Texas, for what, to prove that I'm being a bad brother?"

"didn't take much..."

"Poncho, we just want this to stop." Roger said looking at Nick.

"why do you dislike her, Nick? I think she's lovely..." Jillian said, the words pierced through Catherine's heart like a spear. But Nick barely flinched, he simply shrug his shoulders as he fought the urge to throw up.

"you don't know! Are you serious?" Jake said wanting to rip Nick's head off. Jake lunges at Nick but Roger is able to hold him back.

"I'm not doing this!" Nick yelled slightly startling Catherine. Catherine was holding Nick back; she has never seen him so angry before. He was biting his lip and the vein in his neck was sticking out and his face turning a fiery red.

"what it's getting to real for you? All I want is your blessing, why can't you give me at least that much?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Nick said.

"but what about us! We're your parents and we want some damn answers!" Roger said.

"get off my property now, or I'll have some officers come and help you." Nick said, walking inside his house. Catherine discreetly makes an exit. Nick had shut down. His family had taken the side of the eldest boy but by doing so they unbeknownst pushed Nick away. His wall was up and this time there was no taking it down. The only person who knew the truth was Catherine, and now he felt that was too many people. He knows Catherine would never violate his trust but he didn't know who he could trust.

Catherine goes home. She opens up some ice cream and watches tv rethinking all that has happened. She felt like she was in the twilight zone almost, Catherine had always assumed that Nick had come from a perfect family when in reality his was just as dysfunctional as the next. Nick had not been his in days and it was because he felt alienated from his family and after seeing the little reunion she doesn't blame him. The only other time, Catherine ever saw Nick's parents was when he was buried alive and that was it. Nick has since never gone down for holidays and they never come up here, his other siblings he visits and vice versa but his parents, no. That always kind of bothered Catherine because she saw Nick as a family man just minus the family. She hears a knock on her door that brings her out of her deep thoughts.

"hold on!" Catherine yelled making her way to the door, she looked in the peephole and saw Nick's mom she looked distraught.

"mrs. Stokes, what are you doing here?" Catherine said in utter shock.

"What did Dana do to my boy?" she begged as tears started streaming down her face.

* * *

><p>The truth may finally come out...<p> 


	6. Heartfelt

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch6: Heartfelt

* * *

><p>"Come inside, please." Catherine said opening the door for Jillian. "Please take a seat, I'll be right back." Catherine says trying to walk away but Jillian grabs Catherine's hand.<p>

"Please, what did she do?" Jillian begged. Her makeup ruined, her tears were

Black as they stained her shirt.

"Mrs. Stokes, you have to talk to your son. I can't answer that."

"You saw the way he spoke to me. He probably hates me..."

"Nick doesn't hate you. He's really confused right now and feels alone."

"I don't know how to comfort him," she confesses. "You know what she did, don't you?"

"Let me call him and have him come over." Catherine says smiling at the upset mother. Catherine went to her back patio getting some privacy as she called Nick.

"Hello?" Nick said tired but not sleepy. She was beyond grateful that he wasn't drunk. The last thing that she wanted was to have Nick's mother over and not be able to tell her why her son was acting this way and him come over drunk and tell her.

Catherine could tell that Jillian Stokes was a good mother. Nick turned out wonderful and she bet if knew Jake in a different like he would probably be a good guy as well. This whole situation was bringing out the worst in everyone. Nick was a very protective of the team and more concerned with others then himself sometimes. All of Nick's other siblings stayed close to her and she was sure that Nick's parents were active grandparents.

"Nick, its Catherine. I need you to come over."

"Why?"

"Your mother is here."

"Why?"

"You know damn well why." she said trying to keep his composure. Catherine took a deep breath. She was trying to be compassionate to Nick but she most definitely did not want to be in the middle like she was. Catherine always extended an extra hand to Nick ever since he's been a CSI and wanted to choose her words carefully. "She wants to know,"

"I regret getting you involved..." Nick said waiting a long pause which felt like an eternity for Catherine. "I don't think I can tell her though."

"I'm not telling her, it's totally not my place. Talking with your mother may give you some closure."

"I don't think so..."

"Nick, if you want this to go away so you can feel at peace. You have to tell your mother, she already knows something happen."

"And ruin my perfect Stepford family?" Nick said with a tone of hostility in his voice. Nick was not angry with Catherine but rather the whole situation. He thought that if he never talked about it he would save himself a lot of misery, but it really back fired on him.

"So what, you are just going to drink yourself to death and further be alienated by your family? Nick, they don't know. They don't know why your upset and I can see its really upset and what is upsetting her more is that she knows something happened to her child and he doesn't feel comfortable telling her. It would break my heart if Lindsay didn't feel comfortable telling my something."

"I don't want her to be upset… I don't want to hurt her…" Nick said as he was slightly getting choked up on his words.

"You have been protecting her from years; let her protect you for a change."

"I don't know, Cath…"

"Listen here, Nick. You are going to get your stubborn ass over here and even if you don't want to tell her what happened you have to tell her something because she already knows something happened."

"Gimme like twenty minutes." he said hanging up. Catherine hung up staring at the phone extremely surprised that that worked. Usually when Catherine tried to play hard ball with Nick she would get a sarcastic smart ass answer and end up being five steps further away from her goal. It usually backfired.

Catherine goes in and sees Jillian looking at some photos that Catherine has.

She puts her phone on the receiver and slowly makes her way to the sofa.

"You have a beautiful daughter." Jillian said as she wiped her eyes trying to hide the fact that she was crying in a similar way Nick would but Jillian still had the faint black lines from her makeup that the tears left behind.

"Thank you. Nick is on his way. Mrs. Stokes I want you to know that I'm not being forthcoming with you because I don't like you, it's just I can't violate his trust."

"I appreciate that, and I know Nick does too." Catherine felt a great relieve hearing Jillian say that.

It's the longest twenty minutes of their life when Nick comes over. Catherine opens the door for him but no greeting is shared. Catherine waits on her porch to give them privacy.

"Hey Nick," his mom greeted him, causing a small awkwardness.

"Hey ma, I want to apologize for earlier... I didn't mean that. I was just angry, and..."

"It's alright." she says padding him on the leg. "I just want to know why you hate Dana so much," Nick was squirming uncomfortably in the chair. His mom reached across grabbing his hands.

"I um..."

"Nicholas, I love you no matter what and nothing you could ever do or say would change that." she tells him giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Nick turns red with embarrassment and releases a deep breath.

"What we talk about stays right here between only me and you." Nick instructed.

"Okay."

"I'm serious, ma."

"Okay, it doesn't leave us."

"When I was nine..." he said looking around trying to find the strength to tell his mother knowing that this is going to destroy her. He took another take breath slowly. He felt his lip starting to quiver and chin dimpling and knew he had to tell her. "She... Ah... She hurt me..." he stuttered. He watched as his mother's eyes started to fill with tears.

"She hurt you?" she said trying to keep her composure.

"The night of Madison's play, when she baby sat. She told me we were going to play a game. I told her I couldn't because I was sick but she held me down..." Nick said looking at the ground embarrassed, ashamed, and humiliated. "The next thing I remember is staring at the door waiting for you to come home..." Nick cried, he finally felt his guard go down and it was like a dam breaking. Nick sobbed hard then he had ever had before. All these years he thought his mother was going to think of him as a wimp, or thinking he was lying, or find him disgusting, but after he told his mother he felt a great weight come off his shoulders. Jillian held her son, as she too was crying.

"I'm so sorry. My poor baby. I had no idea... Oh my... I'm so sorry..." she said hugging him tight.

* * *

><p>Can Nick's mom keep his secret?<p> 


	7. Nerves

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch7: Nerves

* * *

><p>The next day at work, Nick felt like his nerves were fried. He thought talking to his mother would put him at ease but it did the exact opposite. What if she told? What if she told Jake or his other siblings? What would his father do if he knew what happened? Nick thought he would die with embarrassment. Nick felt like it was happening all over again.<p>

Nick's mother insisted on sitting down and talking to his father. Nick outright refused and immediately regretted even telling his mother. The thought of his father knowing made him feel like a sissy; Nick did not want anyone else to know. The only reason that he even told his mother because Catherine told him he would feel better but he certainly did not, his anxiety was in full effect.

He could imagine at the next family function how they would all stare at him and share whispers about what had happened. Nick had used all his energy just trying to stay calm and it was only the beginning of shift. If he felt alienated before he certainly going to be alienated now. He felt disgusting all over again. He had pledged to himself that he wouldn't be a victim anymore and he was certainly trying but it was a lot harder than he thought, especially now.

Nick's heart was going to pound out of his chest. His hands were shaking, and sweaty. His anxiety was at a ten, he feels like he's losing his mind. Nick realizes he shouldn't be at work, he was a danger. He heads for DB's office.

Nick knocks on his boss' door.

"Hey Nick," DB said he was sitting on his couch. He was reading a file that he quickly put away; he picked up his guitar and started playing a couple chords. DB was seriously debating whether or not to ask Nick a question but quickly dismissed it.

"I like what you've done with the place," He says standing in the doorway and looks and sees Catherine a woman appears behind her as the elevator empties. But the woman behind him, he recognizes. She is the center of all this drama. He sees Dana. A wave of mix emotions and flashbacks hit him like a thousand bricks.

Nick felt lightheaded, and all of his nerves caught up to him and he felt dizzy.

"Nick?" DB said, he saw Nick's change in disposition. Nick's skin went pale and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. DB tries to catch him. DB barely grabs him by his shirt and eases Nick limp body to the ground. Catherine runs to Nick's aid, as a circle forms around them.

"Greg, go get doc Robbins." Catherine said shaking Nick's chest. "Nicky," Catherine said shaking his chest a little. Nick had never fainted before. Luckily DB had caught had so he didn't face dive. Catherine watched as Nick's eyes rolled back, it reminded her of a child. Nick's face when he watched the elevator was one of pure fear it shocked him so much that he couldn't even produce a normal physical response his body just shut down. Soon they heard clinging of Doc Robbins crutches.

"I was giving Sara results. Move aside, give him some air." Robbins said as he awkwardly kneeled. Nick took a deep breath as if climbing back into his skin. "He's back." doc said as Nick's eyes scanned the room.

"What's going on?" Nick asked, panting.

"You passed out. You feel alright?" DB asked.

"Get back to work. He's alright," Catherine ordered. DB helped Robbins up as Catherine helped Nick up. DB and Catherine walked Nick to DB's office. Nic felt dizzy and his legs were like jelly, so he had to use DB and Catherine as support. They eased him on DB's couch.

"Nick, I want you to take some time off." DB said.

"How long?" Nick asked not making eye contact, just staring at the ground. Nick felt ashamed, like a failure, and weak.

"Tell me how you feel in three days?" DB said really unsure on how to handle the situation.

"Yeah..." Nick said as he left defeated.

"Catherine, drive him home. Please." DB said, Catherine nodded and went to the garage as Nick drove by her. She would just call him later.

After Nick left everyone was asking what's going on and what happened. However no one had answers because only Nick and Catherine knew what was going on and they weren't talking.

Once shift ended Catherine was about to leave when DB calls her back. Catherine was trying to sneak out so that she3 could go and check on Nick. HE wasn't answering any of her phone calls, from his cell or home phone. She didn't want him sulking in his own depression, there was a lot running through his head and she did slightly have fears that he would do something. Nick has always had hope and remained a positive mind set. That is what made him a great CSI, but Nick lately has had no hope and has been so negative, it was written all over his voice.

"Catherine, can I talk to you?" DB said from his office.

"I'm not on call tonight," she kids but DB looks at her with all seriousness in his eyes. "What's going on?"

"Can you shut the door please?" DB asked as he finished reading the file. Catherine shuts the door and walks to his desk with a new sense of worry.

"I got this file from the San Diego PD earlier." he says handing her the file that he hid from Nick. "Dana Chrysler, is the prime suspect in a string of molestation cases."

"Okay... I don't understand with this has to do with me." Catherine said searching the victims names glad that she didn't see Nick's.

"Guess who submitted the information?" DB asked. Catherine looked down and saw Nick's name and his CSI ID number.

"Oh my..." Catherine says shutting the file sincerely confused.

"What is going on?" DB demanded, but Catherine remained silent. "I've been trying to call him and he won't answer."

"I'll go and check on him." Catherine says practically running out of his office, fearing the worst.

"Catherine, you call me." DB said as she left.

When Catherine gets into his neighborhood, she sees a blue Pontiac in the driveway. She slows looking at car, she sees all of his neighbors outside together staring at her car and Nick's house. As she parked her car more people came outside. She opened her door and she heard two quick but loud gun shots.

"Everyone get back inside!" Catherine instructed pulling out her weapon. She grabs her radio. "I need back up!"

* * *

><p>What do you think happened? Please Review!<p> 


	8. Shock

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch8: Shock

* * *

><p>Catherine cautiously moved to the door to find it already open a little. She hears painful groaning and moaning from inside. She slowly pushes the door open knowing that she couldn't wait for back up. Her friend could be hurt. She walks inside and sees Nick laying against the wall blood pouring from the middle of his torso. She could see Nick fumbling with couch blanket as he tried to put pressure on his wound.<p>

"oh my god, Nick!" Catherine said holstering her weapon. She ran and applied pressure on his wound causing him to groan loudly in pain. Nick grabs her arm with his one hand as he whimpers in pain. She turns and sees a woman face down in a blood pool.

"Cath..." Nick said in a quiet whisper. "help... Her..." Nick says pointing to the woman, pushing Catherine towards her. Nick applies pressure to his own wound as best he could. She turns Dana over.

Dana is awake and has tears streaming down her face in pain. Catherine doesn't want to help her but does. Dana has a GSW in her shoulder and Catherine packs it with paper towels.

"keep this on it." Catherine says taking some extra paper towels for Nick.

Catherine hears a car peel away and grabs her weapon. She looks out the window and sees that the car she had seen was gone.

"who did this to you, Nicky?" Catherine begged.

"I didn't... I didn't... Didn't shot... Her..." Nick says in a tremendous amount of pain. He groans as she pushes on it. He moves his head looking down at his wound, blood continued to flow out with ease. His face was redder than the ripest tomato. Nick was squirming and groaning in pain.

"Nicky, I need you to hang on."

"i... I... i found... other boys." Nick stutters. His chest starts to move erratically. Catherine moved to lay him down to try to get him more comfortable, she felt her eyes filling with tears as she watched her best friend in pure agony from all the pain he is in.

"just relax, Nicky." Catherine said as DB ran in. He checked on Dana. Dana started to fade in and out of consciousness from the blood lost.

"it's... My fault... I'm sorry... I... I tried to make it... right..." Nick says spitting his out blood. His blood was gushing through the paper towels and through her fingers. "that's… not good…" he said panting, tasting his own blood in his mouth.

"you are going to be alright!" Catherine said as tears started to fall. DB came over to help, kneeling next him unsure of what to do. "who did this to you Nicky?" Catherine begged as she felt Nick's hands go around her holding them gently.

"no... No... Cath... It is... It's alright," Nick said smiling. The first genuine smile he has had since all this has happened. He grabs her hand pulling it from his wound as she cries. He feels an overwhelming feeling of peace come over him, maybe this was the peace that Catherine told him he would feel if he told what happened. One he has not felt since he was a small boy. Nick looks up at his friends as they work feverishly to help him. He was angry he did not want to leave the world like this but he did not want this feeling of peace to leave him either.

"Nicky..." Catherine said.

"I... I didn't... Shot her... Do you... Believe me?" Nick says spitting out more blood.

"I do..." Catherine said. Nick's chest buckled up. "just hold on." she says brushing the hair out of his face.

"don't… remember me… like this…" Nick says looking at both of them fearing that this was it for him. His eyes started to drift shut no matter how hard he tried to keep them out. "im sorry…" he whispered as his eyes shut.

"Nick, help is here." DB said as paramedics came through. One medic going to Dana, the two others going to Nick.

By the time they ha reached the hospital the majority of the department was already there. Each person with their own memory of Nick, watched as he was pushed through the ER. Nick's torso was swollen, and covered in blood and bloody bandages. He had many IVs and tubes going into his body. Nick was in trouble. He was losing a lot of blood and there was no exit wound so the bullet was still inside and could be causing further damage.

Brass came in and saw Nick as they were pushing Nick on the stretcher into a restrictive area. Brass went to Catherine and DB. Catherine looked like a total utter mess. She had smears of blood on her neck and her shirt was saturated in blood.

"Cath, what happened?" Brass asked. Catherine was in shock she shrugged her shoulders, as she looked down at herself covered in Nick's blood. She stares at the doors that have just taken her friend away.

"I... I... I don't know." Catherine stuttered still looking at the doors.

"take a seat." DB says practically carrying Catherine to the seat with Brass' help. Catherine felt weak on her knees and still in utter shock her skin was very pale.

"I... I... I went to check on Nick. When I got there all his neighbors were outside and then I heard the shots." Catherine said fighting her own tears.

"did he tell you who did this?" Brass asked. Catherine just shook her head as a tear ran down her cheek.

"I'll call Nick's parents." DB said standing but felt a small tug on his arm.

"no. No. I'll do it." Catherine said walking away from everyone. Catherine felt very guilty. It was obvious to her that the day after Nick comes clean about his abuse and names his abuser that both of them end up being shot. Something happened, maybe it was an accident but Catherine feared that it wasn't.

* * *

><p>What do you think happened? Please Review!<p> 


	9. Trust

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch9: Trust

* * *

><p>Nick's parents waited in the waiting room as Nick's other siblings start to show up. No one had ever seen all of the Stokes in one place before. Catherine left to get processed and cleaned up. The team waits in silence for the doctor.<p>

"Oh mama," a woman, Emily Nick's oldest sister, cried. She hugged her mother.

Jacob was the oldest then it was Emily, John William, Roger Jr, Madison, Nick, Helen and Anna who were twins, and Parker. All of them were in the waiting room except for Nick.

"It's going to be alright," Jillian said.

"How is he doing?" Emily said her voice had a super thick southern accent.

"I'm not sure. He's still in surgery," Jillian said trying to stay strong for all her brothers and sisters, as she hugged them all.

"How long has he been in surgery?" Parker asked. Parker looked just like Nick, except he didn't groom himself like Nick. His hair was shagging and he had a light beard and was missing a tooth.

"A couple hours,"

"Where's Jacob?" Parker asked.

Meanwhile, Brass goes to Dana's room. Dana had suffered a GSW through her shoulder and the bullet and it had nicked her artery but she was out of surgery and awake. As Brass entered the room he saw Jake and Dana in a quiet heated discussion.

"Is everything alright?" Brass asked. The couple immediately went quiet and nervously stared at each other and Brass.

"She has nothing to say to you." Jake says standing between Dana and Brass. Dana laid down looking away.

"What are you her lawyer?"

"He's on his way."

"Do you not realize that your brother is here too and the only person who knows what happened is her?" Brass said angry.

"She's just as much a victim as my brother!"

"Your brother! Your brother is still in emergency surgery in case you were wondering."

"Get out she needs to rest." Jake said.

* * *

><p>Morgan and DB go over Nick's belongings at the lab. Nick's clothes were saturated in his blood as well as Dana's. DB looked at Nick's shirt. Nick's shirt showed burning from the gunshot.<p>

"It seems like Nick was shot at just about point blank range, while Dana's shirt shows more of a distance."

Morgan stops seeing Nick's belt buckle thinking of all the times he and the others teased Nick. They test his clothes for GSR as well as Dana's both come back positive.

"Both of their clothes are covered in GSR and they both have blood from each other on them... So you think there was a struggle?"

"Brass says Dana isn't talking, we will have to go back to the scene."

* * *

><p>Catherine rejoined everyone in the waiting room. She was in scrubs because her clothes were now evidence. Nick was still in surgery with no word on how he was doing. Catherine was still an emotional mess and in shock. She was even more shocked on how Nick's family came out. Catherine took a seat next to Jillian and Nick's sister Emily.<p>

"How you doing', sug'?" Emily asked holding Catherine's hand; Catherine realized she had a lonely tear running down her face.

"I'm alright..." Catherine lied.

"I'm going to go get something from the vendin' machine," Emily said. Jillian turned and looked at Catherine as tears swelled her eyes.

"This is my fault." Jillian said.

"What do you mean?" Catherine said, weary of the woman's guilt. She wasn't sure if it was just a guilty conscience about Nick's abuse or if she had done something that led Nick to be in the hospital.

"I... I told..." Jillian cried.

"Who?" Catherine exclaimed loudly, frustration and disappointment in her voice.

"Stokes!" a nurse said, she was in scrubs. Jillian, Roger, and Catherine all went to the young nurse. Nick had been in surgery for almost five hours.

"That's us," Roger said putting a supportive arm around his wife.

"I came to give you an update." the nurse said, everyone nodded. The nurse took a deep breath. "Mr. Stokes, suffered a gunshot wound to his midsection. When the bullet entered... it did nick his lung a little and hit a rib where it continued to move around. He has some internal bleed. I want to reassure you that the surgeons are doing the best they can." the nurse said leaving just as quickly as she came.

* * *

><p>DB and Morgan go to Nick's house, all his neighbors were still out front and a little boy riding around on a bicycle. They go inside, and see the blood pools and obvious sign of a struggle as they continue their walk through in Nick's house.<p>

DB walked in Nick's room. DB noticed Nick's boots by his bed, it reminded him of all his son would come home from practice and flop into his bed then takes his shoes off. DB noticed a towel in the doorway to Nick's bathroom. He opened the door and saw Nick's clothes in a pile.

"What are you thinking?" Morgan asked DB as he returned to the bedroom.

"That none of this makes any sense. I think Nick was sleeping when Dana and or the shooter arrived."

"But there was no force entry. So Nick must have let them in. But why? I heard Nick hated her." they both pause thinking. "I'm starting to think Dana was over here with Nick for a different reason..." Morgan said digging in her bad for her ALS light. DB pulled out his as well, the bed was jostled on both sides. A suspicious stain did illuminate when the light hit it.

"Maybe your right," DB said. "Swab it,"

DB returns to the living room and looking at the trajectory lasers. There was Nick's blood on Dana's shirt but none of Dana's blood on Nick's.

"The doctor said that the trajectory of Nick's wound shows that Nick was shot at a slightly downward angle."

"Okay. Run it." Morgan said putting her kit back down. "I'll be Dana."

"I'm Nick." DB says as they take their respective spots. "Ugh! I'm so mad!" he says mimicking Nick's accent. "There's a struggle..."

"Who shoots who?" Morgan asks.

"We will play it both ways. Gun goes off I'm hit. I fall against the wall where I shoot you."

"Nick is right handed. He was shot on his ride it would have been difficult to muster the strength to shoot me, and so was I was shot in my right shoulder."

"Your right trajectory is off. Unless Nick's left arm is four feet long this isn't going to work. The other way. There's a struggle gun goes off, you go down." DB said thinking of what happened next. "I'm worried for various reasons and go to your aid."

"I shoot you, but if your hunched over to help the trajectory is off again, and where is the gun?"

"There is no blood trail. I didn't see one."

"There was a third person here?"

"That's our shooter. The struggle ensues Nick is shot, shooter checks on him and them shoots her." DB says seeing a blood smear on a drawer in the end table by his door. "You know, when I get home from work I leave my service weapon in the end table by the door to put my wife's mind at ease. It's locked and the table is bolted to the wall to put my mind at ease." he said pulling Nick's weapon out. DB finished processing the end-table and sealed the weapon.

DB and Morgan finish packing all the evidence in their vehicle. The crow that had begun to form outside of Nick's has gotten bigger.

"Excuse me," a woman said lightly touching DB's arm. Morgan and DB both turned around.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" DB said.

"Do you know how Nick is doing?" the woman said as all the onlookers stopped and stared waiting for an answer.

"He's still in surgery," DB said addressing the whole crowd.

"But is he going to be alright?" the boy on the bike. "Do you know who hurt him?"

"We are still working on it. If any of you saw anything that would really help?"

"I heard a lot of yelling. I heard Nick, a woman, and I think another man... But I didn't see anything." the woman said.

"I saw something!" the little boy yelped jumping off his bike.

"Can you tell me what you saw?" Morgan asked.

"Yesterday morning when I was waiting for the school bus and I saw Nick arguing with a man. There were other people there too. But after I heard the loud pops and the police lady ran into Nick's house I saw the same man jump into a blue car and drive off. Is that going help Nick?"

DB and Morgan go to the hospital to get updated about Nick. DB gently pulled Catherine aside who was trying to get Jillian alone. Catherine wanted to find out who hurt Nick just as bad as Nick's parents but if one of them were responsible for hurting him, she'd be heartbroken. She felt an overwhelming feeling of guilt she made Nick tell his mom who did something, by her own admission.

"What do you have?" Catherine asked.

"A witness said that he saw Nick having an argument with a man yesterday and the same man was over at his hospital today. Did Nick mention anything about something happening yesterday?"

"He didn't have to I was there."

"What did you see?"

"After the diner, Nick's truck had flats so I drove him home. His parents and his brother and they were all arguing. Nick did say some nasty things to his parents and brother."

"Do you suspect his brother or his father?"

"I don't know... I have to talk to his parents."

"I'll go with you,"

"No! I mean... Let me do it."

"What in the hell is going on? Has everyone lost their mind."

"Stokes family!" Nick's doctor called, saving Catherine. Everyone went silent as the doctor went to Nick's parents and Catherine.

"How is he?"

"The bullet did a lot of damage before resting on his lung. We repaired all the internal bleeding however we didn't get the bullet out. He is prepped for surgery to remove the bullet."

"What's the risk?" Roger asked.

"Going in to retrieve the bullet could damage his lung and aggravate the internal bleeding, but leaving it inside an infection could spread which could be fatal... Who will be making medical decisions on behalf of Mr. Stokes?" The doctor asked feeling confused.

"I umm..."

"I have Medical Power of Attorney." Catherine said interrupting Nick's mom. An awkward silence took over the room. Jillian nodded as tears went down her face with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," Catherine whispered to Jillian.

DB's phone rings breaking the awkward silence.

"I'm going to need to verify that." the doctor said and Catherine hands him a copy of the paperwork.

"Take the bullet out." Catherine said the doctor nodded and left. The entire

Stokes family stared at Catherine except for Jillian who felt heartbroken.

"Russell." DB said.

"It's Mandy, I was able to get some prints off of Nick's gun and I got a hit in AFIS."

"To who?"


	10. Fighter

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch10: Fighter

* * *

><p>DB has Mandy send him the results. Once the results come in DB discretely shows them to Brass. The print came back, and the stains on the bed came back to a family match to Doc Robbins, niece, and Nick. DB remembered seeing Robbins' nice over before all of this started.<p>

"I can't believe Poncho gave power of attorney to you," Roger said to Catherine. His face had a mix of emotions, he wasn't sure how to feel but he felt betrayed and hurt.

"How can you be surprised? Nick turned his back on you... All of you!" Jake said making his first appearance.

"Shut up..." Roger said quietly.

"He turned his back on all of you! He doesn't even trust you to make medical decisions for him, and you're his parents."

"You sit down and shut the hell up! You show some respect!"

"Respect?"

"Now what in the blue hell is wrong with you, boy? Now Nick may not visit as much as you would like him too but he's still your damn brother!" Roger said Brass and DB stood in between the men as Jillian ran off crying Emily and Catherine following her.

"Mr. Stokes, come with me please." DB said pulling Roger aside as Brass brought Jacob into the stairwell.

"What is going on?" Roger said running his hands through his hair.

"Listen to me. You have to stay strong for your children and your wife and most importantly Nick. I'm not sure where his head is going to be after all this. It's going to get worse before it gets better." DB said giving Roger an embrace.

"Thank you Mr. Russell." Roger said awkwardly padding on DB's back. "But I can settle for a handshake next time, grown men don't hug." Roger said walking back into the waiting room to check on his other children. DB moved to the stairwell.

"Jacob Stokes, you are under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon of Dana

Chrysler." Brass says. The uniform officer walks Jake out the back quietly.

Brass turns and sees DB.

"What about Nick?" DB asks confused.

"I called the DA and he said for us to wait on how Nick's surgery turns out before charging him."

"In case Nick died." DB said as Brass tried to walk away. Brass stops releasing a deep breath.

"Yes... Keep me updated."

"I'm coming with you," DB said.

Meanwhile in the waiting room all the Stokes boys remained quiet and stoic, while all the Stokes girls were talking concerned. As Roger went to look for his upset wife.

"You guys alright?" Greg asked, Parker was the only one who looked up.

"We have all seen better days," Parker said. "What's Nick like to work with?" he asked this time everyone looked up. They all had heard so much about Nick's job, they wanted to know if it was as cool as he said.

"Nick is great to work with. He's a fearless leader. It's crazy sometimes how fearless he is. He's so humble. He's positive and keeps the morale of the team up even when we have a real heartbreaker. He was my unofficial mentor and in my opinion one of the best CSIs ever to work in Vegas." Greg said trying to keep his emotions in check. "What was Nick like as a kid?" Sara and Morgan scooted closer eager to here.

"Nick, wasn't home a lot." Parker said.

"Poncho, played basketball, football, and baseball year round." John William added his accent just as thick as Parker's. The Stokes men all looked the same and talked the same.

"So did Jake," Roger Jr said.

"Oh yea," Parker said.

"Nick, was a very gifted athlete as was Jake." John William said.

"Who was better?" Morgan asked.

"Nick!" all the guys said in unison.

"Jake broke records in high school and then Nick broke the same ones. In high school Jake scored 48 points in a game, Nick's highest was 51. In football they played the same position and Nick had more rushing yards and broke Jake's record for the most touchdowns scored in a game. Baseball was the same thing, they were both all-Americans made the state team. Jake resented Nick," John William said.

"That explains a lot," Sara said.

"Nick never let it affect him though, so after a while they didn't speak... But the rest of us were there biggest fans. Jake made Nick feel alienated because he wasn't a lawyer or cop but Nick is still a crime fighter and we aren't all crime fighters. Jake is a lawyer, Emily is realtor, I'm the district attorney of Arlen county, Junior is a state trooper, Madison is the sheriff of another county, Nick's a CSI, Helen stays at home with her children, Anna is a nurse, and Parker owns a landscape company. We are all different and we all love our brother." John William said speaking for all the children.

At PD, DB and Brass demand to know why and what happened. However he wasn't just any chump from over the street. He was Nick's brother and he was a successful lawyer. Settling on a game plan they walked in the room.

"Hello Jake, can I call you Jake?" DB asked sitting across from him. Brass also sat down. "I'd call you Mr. Stokes but there's a bunch of you isn't there?"

"I have nine brothers and sisters but, you already know that?"

"I didn't until today, what about you Brass?"

"Nope, and I've known Nick for over ten years."

"Yea, Nicky boy doesn't talk his family. I'm not surprised. I'd be more surprised if he had." Jake says.

"Yea, about that. Why do you think that he wouldn't talk about you guys?" DB asked leaning forward squirming in his chair.

"I'm a lawyer not a doctor."

"Ah, the Stokes charm." Brass adds.

"Let's cut the crap why am I arrested?" Mandy comes in giving DB the official results. DB slides them over to Jake saying that they found his fingerprint on the weapon.

"That is a lab report stating that we found your fingerprint on the weapon that was used to shoot both your fiancée and your brother."

"I bet you have a machine that just doctors up these phony reports to get chumps to confess. I didn't shoot my fiancée... Or my brother." Jake said sliding the report.

"It's funny because it's real. Your index finger and ring finger left a full impression, and your middle finger and thumb left partial impressions." DB said.

"I didn't shoot my brother or my fiancée. He shot her and then she shot him. It was self defense!"

"Tell us what happened?" Brass said curbing his growing frustration.

"I called Nick,"

"Why?" Brass asked.

"I got a call from my ex-wife because CPS has put a restraining order on me. I'm not allowed to see my children because Dana is the prime suspect in molestation cases. When I asked who submitted the information it was Nick. That's why I called him."

"Ok, continued." DB said.

"I called Nick and asked him if we could finally hash this out and that if he told me why he hated Dana so much. He invited me over and I brought Dana and he freaked out told us both to get out. Nick pulled the gun and told us to get out, he and I struggled. He aimed the gun at me and Dana grabbed the gun they struggled and shot Dana there was another shot and Nick fell. Dana stumbled and pushed the gun in my hands and fell. I heard Nick's friend outside I put the gun back in the table and took over from the back door." Jake said, DB shook his head.

"Do you know what bullet trajectory is?" DB asked, Jake shrugged his shoulders. "From the bullet's path we can determine where a shooter was standing and based on what we know, we know that that isn't the truth."

"I want a lawyer."

"Look who's bluffing now?" Brass said.

* * *

><p>News breaks about Jake's arrest. Catherine finds Jillian in the cafe just devastated and heartbroken. Catherine understood if Jillian did not want to talk to her. Catherine didn't know that Nick didn't tell his parents that he gave power of attorney to Catherine. It soon became very evident to her though.<p>

"Can I sit with you?" Catherine asked feeling like a teenager.

"Sug, can you get me some tea?" Jillian asked Emily.

"Yeah," Emily said taking the hint that the women needed to talk. Emily discreetly left.

"Who did you tell?" Catherine said in a harsh whisper.

"When I returned to the hotel I was devastated. I told Roger."

"Your husband?"

"Yes..." Jillian said feeling terrible, tears ran down her face. "He was so upset."

"What did he do?" Catherine asked thinking for a brief moment that maybe they arrested the wrong person.

"Roger, is a whiskey man. He was at the minibar in a room all night. But Nick is right..."

"About what?"

"He shouldn't trust me. I didn't protect him when he was a child, I don't blame him for giving you power of attorney,"

"It's not that he doesn't trust you it is that he wants to fight whether the outcome was grim or not and he did not want that burden on you. He said he didn't want to cause you anymore grief. Nick loves you."

"It's my burden to have, though."

"With your one son going to jail and the other one in surgery. I think Nick helped you out."

* * *

><p>The waiting room was full again as grave shift ended even Brass and his group of detectives were there. Everyone was waiting.<p>

"Stokes..." the doctor said coming out.

"How is he doc?" Roger asked.

"The surgery was a success. Mr. Stokes has no bullets inside him. We are going to put him in a medically induced coma for a couple days just so we can make sure he heals properly."

"Is he awake right now?" Jillian asked but everyone's head looked up.

"He is." everyone looked relieved, the doctor tries to hide a smile while everyone was happy. "I'll have the nurse open the curtain do you can see him. But, he's heavily medicated and he has a breathing tube in." the doctor said.

"Please doc let us see him," Jillian begged. The doctor stood on tapped on window and the curtain opened and they saw Nick. His one hand on his wound and the other on his face and going through his hair. His eyes opened just enough for him to see.

Everyone was beyond happy and they erupted in hugs. Catherine touched the window and subtly waved to him. He slowly raised his hand from his face and waved back.

"That'd a boy, Poncho." Roger said smiling.

* * *

><p>Reviews? Nick tells what happened when he awakes but will it be too late?<p> 


	11. Awake

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch11: Awake

* * *

><p>Three days later...<p>

* * *

><p>The nurse starts to administer medicine to get Nick out of the coma.<p>

The doctors took his breathing tube out yesterday and his internal incisions were healing great.

"It should be any minute now." she said disposing the needle. "His voice is going to be a little raspy." the nurse said smiling at Catherine. Catherine hadn't left his side; his parents took turn staying as did his siblings but Catherine never left.

She watched as he stirred he turned his head so that he was facing her.

He took a deep breath and his eyes slowly opened.

"Hey, how do you feel?" Catherine asked gingerly. She brushed Nick's hair back, as Nick lifted his head up.

"Where am I?" he said his voice was soft and was slightly raspy.

"You're at the hospital, Nicky." she said holding his hand. He looked sleepily still.

"I was shot," he said. Catherine wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement.

"Yes, you were shot in your house do you remember what happened?"

Catherine asked pulling her seat closer to Nick's bed. Nick slowly nodded.

"Kind of..." he said looking at her. Nick's face looked sleepily but he couldn't sleep, his skin was slightly pale, his hair was astray, and Nick was hooked up to an oxygen machine. He moved his face feeling the oxygen 'nose hose'.

"What happened?"

"How bad is it?" Nick said touching the heavily bandaged area.

"The doctor said you are healing fine. You are going to be okay. You did scare us though."

"Sorry..." Nick said.

"Don't worry about it Nicky. But, can you tell me what happened?"

"Jake called me, he apologized and said that CPS thought Dana was a child molester so he asked if he could and talk to me. I told him to come over... He brought her. He asked why I would spread lies about her. Then he came at me I drew my gun. He asked me if I was really going to shoot him. Dana slapped me and jumped on me and Jake took the gun. He pulled Dana off and aimed the gun at me. Dana started to freak out telling him that he couldn't shoot me so he thought we were having an affair and aimed the gun at her. He pulled the hammer back and I lunged for him. I tried to take the gun away but I heard a pop and felt a terrible pain... I remember seeing Dana on the floor and Jake was running past me. And then I saw you..." Nick said deeply saddened.

"Your brother is under arrest and his arraignment is tomorrow."

"This is my fault."

"Nicky, this isn't your fault. None of this is your fault." Catherine said as Nick started to tear up.

"It is, though."

"Nicky, you were nine. You were a child. This isn't your fault." she said he quickly wiped his eyes and nodded.

"I guess..."

"I know it's a pretty shitty feeling. But your family is here to support you and so is your team. I think it's safe to say the worst is over." Catherine said knocking on the wooden end table, causing Nick to smile.

"I sure hope so."

"Dana has been extradited to San Diego, and then she has charges in five other states on sex abuse. You got justice for all those little boys, and more boys have come forward."

"Good," Nick said smiling as his eyes started to drift shut. "How's the team?"

"They're alright. They were worried about you,"

"Tell them that I'm fine." he said smiling. "Tell them, I'm glad that they were able to remain neutral... for Me." he said almost choking on the last part.

"Nicky, your family is here to see you. I'll visit later." she said standing to leave but felt a weak squeeze on her hand.

"Thanks Cath. I know I have been a pain in the rear these last couple days,"

"Don't worry about it, Nicky. Just focus on getting better," Catherine said as Nick put his one hand through his hands. He felt the pain medicine take over as he ran his other hand over his face enjoying the sensation he felt.

Nick felt like his body was tingly like he was on the shoreline of a calm ocean as the tide gingerly hit his skin with the sand stinging in a euphoric way. He turned his head and saw his parents at the door.

"Take care, Nicky." Catherine said leaving just stopping at his room. She looked at Roger and Jillian who looked relieved. "Take care of him." she said smiling. Jillian hugged Catherine tight.

"Thank you so much, Miss Willows. You ever need anything don't hesitate to ask, or if you find yourself in Fort Worth, Texas we'd love to bring you out to dinner." Jillian said still hugging her and Roger awkwardly padded her on the back.

"I'll stop by later. Take care," she said leaving.

"Poncho... How do you feel?" Roger said touching Nick's shoulder.

"I'm alright," he said his words slurring. "How's Jake?" Nick said. His parents looked at him not sure if they should answer but knew they had too.

"He was arrested this morning for attempted murder." Jillian said and watches as Nick closed his eyes going into deep thought. Nick knew that his brother would be arraigned tomorrow morning and due to the fact that Nick was a CSI, only the best and impartial judge would be on the case Nick had a few in mind.

"Why the wait?" Nick asked.

"They wanted to see how you made out with your surgery." Jillian said holding his hand tightly.

"When can I go home?" Nick said trying to adjust to a comfortable position. He was very sore and stiff, and just the few motions made him feel exhausted.

"Probably in a couple days." it wasn't good enough for him, he wanted to see his brother and talk to him. Nick felt totally useless and helpless. "Just rest. Your brothers and sisters are on the way down to see you." Nick smiled and fell asleep.

Catherine goes to the lab and marches into DB's office and sits on his sofa.

"How's Nick?"

"I need you to call a family meeting. Extended family included meeting in the break room." she said leaving. It was her first time in the lab in three days. She went to the break room and DB followed.

"sent." he said shaking his phone at her before shoving it in his pocket. Within seconds the whole department was trying to fit in the little break room. Everyone from detectives, uniforms, other CSIs, lab rats, Judy from the reception desk, and some of the cleaning staff, all people who Nick has had an impact on.

"The doctors pulled Nick out of the coma today. Nick is awake alert and doing a lot better. He told me to tell you guys not to worry about him and that he wanted me to thank you guys for keeping a neutral gear while investigating." the lab erupts in hugs and happiness.

The crime lab was a well oiled machine and Nick was almost like a mechanic for it. If anyone had a problem you went to Nick to get it fixed. Nick made recommendations for people who deserved them and checked on others when it was a rough day. Nick was friends with everyone so he often played mediator when people were having a disagreement with one another.

DB taps on Catherine's shoulder and motions for her to follow him. She reluctantly leaves the happy group and follows DB back to his office.

"What's up?" Catherine asks.

"Jake pleaded out,"

"On both counts?"

"No, just the charges those were regarding Dana."

"What about Nick?"

"He refuses to acknowledge that anything happened to him. Prepare yourself for a nasty trial."

* * *

><p>Jake's arriagnment is the next chapter. Will Jake take the plea or take his chances? Can Nick just sit back in watch?<p> 


	12. Mystification

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch12: Mystification

* * *

><p>Catherine and DB were on their way to court to testify on other cases. Catherine wasn't sure if she would go to Jake's arraignment. She didn't know how Nick would react if she went. DB was on the same boat as Catherine he didn't know what to do. Catherine felt her phone buzzing and saw it was Mrs. Stokes.<p>

"Willows," Catherine said.

"Catherine, I can't find him! I went outside to get something out of my car and I came up and he was gone!" Jillian said stuttering in fear and adrenaline.

"Whoa! Whoa! Mrs. Stokes, calm down. Who's gone?" Catherine said DB turned his head trying to figure out what's going on.

"Nick."

"What happened?"

"I went outside to get my wallet out of the car. When I got back inside his nurse said that she brought him onto the roof to... Smoke a cigarette. I got to the roof and his wheel chair was there with his IVs and gown but he was gone."

"Okay, I'm going to send a CSI and some police over stay there."

"Okay," Jillian said crying.

"Nick's missing." Catherine said, DB started to slow down. "Don't slowdown I have an idea where he is and if we hurry we will catch it." Catherine said.

They made it to the courthouse in record time. Catherine and DB began sprinting throughout the courthouse. Of course the courtroom they were looking for was on the opposite side of the courthouse. They find it and burst through the doors causing everyone's heads to door, adrenaline had gotten the best of them. DB apologized while Catherine was scanning the crowd and saw Nick trying to hide. But, before they can get to him the DA approaches them.

"Why is he here?" the DA said but they both remained quiet. "I heard he just woke up yesterday. How'd he already get released?" again silence. "Was he released?"

"Something like that." DB said smiling. Just as the DA was going to speak the court clerk read the next docket and the DA took his podium.

"Are you going to move over for us?" Catherine said, Nick looked up with glassy eyes. He nodded and slowly slid over holding his side tightly. His face red, showing the pain he was in. Nick was wearing a plaid shirt that wasn't tucked in and a gray zip up with jeans and sneakers. It wouldn't have been Nick's choice of clothing.

"How'd you know I was here?" Nick said looking down. Catherine wasn't sure if he was angry, ashamed, embarrassed, or emotionless.

"What are you doing leaving the hospital? You scared your mother half to death. Nick, the day before yesterday you were in a coma."

"Don't you think I know that!" Nick said back in a harsh whisper.

"Nicky, we have to get you back to the hospital."

"My brother is being charged for attempted murder of me. Bring me back I'll just sign myself out again. I can't stay there. No. Not when my brother could go to jail for the rest."

"The People of Clark County versus Jacob J. Stokes. One count attempted murder of a crime scene investigator in the first degree." the clerk said handing the judge the docket.

"How does the defendant plea?"

"Not guilty." Jake's lawyer said.

"May I hear the people on bail?" the judge said.

"Remand your honor. The defendant bombarded the victim in his home and shot him and left him for dead." the prosecutor said. Nick cringes at the word victim.

"Remand? My client has never been convicted of a crime. He's a lawyer and upstanding member of his community. My client was singled out by the police because of a family misunderstanding."

"No, your client's fingerprints were found on the weapon..." the prosecutor spat back but was interrupted by the judge hitting his gravel.

"Let's save it for trial, gentlemen. Bail set for $250, 000, the defendant will surrender his passport, wear an ankle and is ordered to stay in Clark county." the judge banged the gavel. "Fifteen minute recess." Jake turned to his lawyer and whispered something to his lawyer, and then turned his gaze to Nick before getting taking away by the correctional officer. Nick looked down and covered his face with his one hand the other still tightly on his wound.

"Come on, Nicky." Catherine said putting her arm around his shoulder and put the other on his weak side and helped Nick get to his feet.

Catherine brought Nick out the back so that he didn't get swarmed by the media. Nick could barely walk and if it wasn't for Catherine and DB holding him up and keeping his balance he would have fallen.

"Where are we headed Nick?" DB said. Catherine eased him in the backseat, Nick looked away.

"Not the hospital..." Nick said squinting looking out the window opposite window.

"Then where?" DB asked starting to drive Catherine looked back at her friend. He rested his head on his window, he was tired, depressed, and in pain.

"I don't know." Nick said.

"He'll stay at my place." Catherine said.

The car ride was quiet and awkward. Every so often you heard a muffled sob from Nick.

"How do you feel, Nick?" Catherine asked.

"Shitty. This is all my fault. I could have prevented this if I just told someone!" Nick said angry. "My family is here and I don't want anything to do with them. I feel disgusting..." Nick said realizing what he said he wanted to punch himself in the face. "Leave me alone."

Alone is how Nick thought he felt for the longest time. Then after all this happened he felt suffocated, after thinking he was alone for so long he didn't know how to feel or how to react. He felt numb and all he wanted to be was alone again. Nick didn't want anyone worrying about him, he wanted to go back to that.

"No... Pull over..." Nick said but DB locked the doors. "I wanna get out."

"No, Nick. It's either the hospital or my house you decide." Catherine said looking back at him. Nick looked out the window defeated, he didn't want to go back to the hospital.

When they pulled into Catherine's driveway, they saw Catherine's mom, Lillian on the porch reading a book.

"Hey Cath, home early?" she asked as Catherine moved to the back seat.

"Not quiet, mom." Catherine said getting Nick out of the backseat. Nick was very tired. "Mom, you remember Nick?"

"Oh dear, I thought he was in the hospital." Lillian said opening the door.

"Nick is going to stay here for a little while." Catherine said making her way into her bedroom easing him onto the bed. Catherine watched as Nick tried to get comfortable, and looked at her mom who had a look of fear and shock on her face. "Mom," Catherine said motioning for her to follow Catherine out into the hallway.

"Catherine, he needs to get to a hospital... What am I suppose to do? What if..."

"Mom! Stop. He just needs to sleep I'm sending a doctor. He is just under a lot of stress. I got to go, call me if you need me." Catherine said leaving. Lillian looked in the as Nick stirred looking out the window. Once DB and Catherine were really gone she saw Nick get off the bed and move towards the window and then moved towards the door when he saw Lillian standing there.

"Where are you going?" she asked Nick shrugged his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Ms. Flynn but I can't stay here."

"What are you running from?" she asked putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm... I'm not..." Nick stuttered.

"Please Nick," she said guiding him back to the bed. "Nick, you've been shot. You should be in the hospital, why my daughter didn't drag you back kicking and screaming is a mystery in itself."

"I begged her not to bring me back."

"Why? Catherine told me your family is all here."

"I don't want to see them."

"You don't want to see them or you don't want them to see you?"

"Not like this."

Nick just about unloaded everything onto Catherine's mom just shy of some important intimate details. Nick felt better and was finally able to sleep.

Lillian texted Catherine telling her he was asleep. She got a bottle of water some Advil and made him a sandwich. A couple hours later Doc Robbins checked on him and changed his bandage and cleaned him up.

When Catherine finally got home she saw Nick still asleep. She went in and checked on him because he had been sleeping for a longtime. He was breathing and his hand was still on his wound as if guarding it from anymore damage. She moved his hand and saw blood, her eyes went wide and fear stricken her whole body.

"Mom, bring the bandages that Doc Robbins left and bring me the phone." Catherine yelled checking for Nick's pulse. He woke up and pushed his head against the pillows looking at Catherine with a confused look.

"What are you doing?"

"You are bleeding. But don't..." Catherine said going to apply pressure but was interrupted by Nick grabbing her hands.

"Cath, it's leaking. That's all. I'm fine. Doc Robbins said it's normal. I'm fine." Nick said touching her shoulder. "it's fine."

_"It's... My fault... I'm sorry... I... I tried to make it... right..." Nick says spitting his out blood. His blood was gushing through the paper towels and through her fingers._

_"You are going to be alright!" Catherine said as tears started to fall. DB came over to help._

_"No... No... Cath... It is... It's alright," Nick said smiling. The first genuine smile he has had since all this has happened. He grabs her hand as she cries. He feels an overwhelming feeling of peace come over him._

_Catherine watches as Nick chokes on his blood as his eyes flutter close._

"Cath, I'm alright." Nick said sitting up looking at her. She starts fumbling on her words and starts to cry and Nick pulls her into a hug. They stayed in a tight embrace for several minutes.

"I'm sorry, Nicky."

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"The DA offered your brother a plea bargain but your brother refused."

"So what is going to happen?"

"It's going to trial."

"Excuse me, Cath." Nick said moving to her bathroom. Nick goes into her bathroom and unwraps his bandage showing his wound. Nick has a flashback of his brother screaming at him wanting to know what she had done.

"Are you alright Nicky?"

"He was screaming at me to tell him. I froze up I didn't know what to say or do. I felt like a child."

"It's alright..."

"Cath, I can't let him go to prison for the rest of his life because of this."

"What are you going to do Nick? You can't change the fact that he shot you."

"I know." Nick said returning his gaze to the mirror. "Maybe I can talk to him convince him to take the plea?"

"Nick, he doesn't acknowledge you were even hurt. How will you get him to listen to you?"

"I'll tell him..."

"You'll tell him?"

"If I don't tell him and he calls me to the stand it goes on public record or I go to contempt of court. I have to tell him."

* * *

><p>Nick and his brother have a sit down in the next chapter.<p> 


	13. Relive

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review! Sorry for the wait, I hope this makes up for it. The italics is a flashback.

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch13: Relive

* * *

><p>Nick walked into his mother's hotel room with Catherine by his side. He felt his anxiety go up as he walked in, he felt like he was walking into his death and couldn't shake the thought.<p>

_He was safe._

Nick kept trying to remind himself that but he felt like a child. Nick wasn't a very popular kid in high school, and but ran into the same troubles every kid did when he had to say no to his friends and risk being an outcast. That's how he felt now.

Jillian couldn't help but hug Nick quiet powerfully it wasn't until he groaned and grimaced in pain did she release him. She wanted to scold him and yell at him for leaving the hospital against doctors' advice and staying out. All of this was making her realize she didn't know her son, either of them.

"How do you feel, Nick?" Jillian asked, Nick just nodded.

"I'm fine, ma." Nick said quietly. Jillian motioned for him to sit across from Jake. Nick started to feel nervous all over and started to remember things about the shooting. Roger was sitting behind Jake and Catherine was sitting behind Nick as Jillian sat on the side.

"Sit, Poncho." Roger said Nick felt butterflies in his stomach. Nick eased himself in his seat trying to accommodate for his sore muscles and his ultra tender wound.

_Nick hangs up with his brother and releases a deep breath the thought of telling his brother this deep secret is for some reason burning a hole through Nick's soul. In the back of his mind he thinks it a bad idea but the only way they can move forward from this terrible mess is for Nick to tell him._

"Hey Jake," Nick stuttered.

"Hey..." Jake said finally looking at Nick.

"Jake, you got to take the plea!" Nick begged, Jake shook his head and looked away frustrated but then turned and met Nick's gaze with more hostility.

_Nick opens his door and sees his brother with her. Jake promised on the phone not to bring her and he did. Nick needed to trust his brother in order to tell him this secret but that didn't look like that was going to happen. No trust was shared between the two so Nick put his wall back up._

"_What is she doing here?" Nick asked upset._

"_We need to talk." Jake says._

"_No, we need to talk." Nick says motioning for just him and Jake._

"I'm not guilty!"

"You shot me! Whose leg are you trying to pull? You shot me!" Nick said angrily.

"This isn't my fault! You started all this!" Jake said slapping the table and pointing at Nick. Catherine notices that Nick does the same thing when he was angry with a suspect. But who was Jake to blame Nick, what is going on, Catherine thought.

"This isn't my fault!"

"You took me children away from me!"

"No I didn't!"

"You didn't call CPS and tell them my fiancée was a pedophile? You even called Stacy. So don't act like I'm the bad guy! You went behind my back!"

"So, you shoot me!"

"Enough!" Roger said quieting the boys bickering.

_Nick and Jake argued about everything. Everything from Nick still being single, and avoiding the family to Jake being a selfish jerk and a bad father to things in their childhood. Every time Jake would steer the argument to what Nick's problem was with Dana Nick would get really angry and shutdown or say something nasty._

"_You're a terrible father!" Nick shouted, he and Jake were so close they could feel each other's breath as they spoke._

"_How can you call me that when you don't have any children?"_

"_I'd rather be childless then be anything like you. How are you about to let this woman around your kids when you hardly know anything about her?"_

"_Don't you talk about her like that!" Jake said pushing Nick hard. "She's great with them!" he walked towards Nick aggressively and Nick pulled out his weapon. "You are really going to shoot me?" Jake asked slowly raising his hand but before Nick could answer Dana jumped on his back hitting him. As Nick was trying to get her off Jake pulled the gun away._

"Who's Stacy?" Catherine asked.

"My ex-wife. Nick calls and visits my ex and doesn't even give me a phone call,"

"I visit with your children. I have no interest in your ex."

"You know I don't believe that."

"Fine, I don't care. I did sleep with her once years ago." Nick confessed, his mother looked disgusted and ashamed. Roger looked shocked as did Catherine and Jake looked pissed. "Is that what you want to hear? Then fine I slept with her is that what all this is about!" Nick asked flabbergasted, Jake looked hurt and angry.

"Is that what this is about? Are you serious?"

_Dana jumps off Nick's back as soon as Jake gets the gun and Nick slowly raises his hands. Nick knew his brother was going to shoot him. Nick was trying to think of something to do to get the gun back because he knew talking would get him nowhere._

"_Why don't you like her?" Jake cried shaking the gun at Nick. "You know her from back home! She was your babysitter for crying out loud! Do you like her?" Nick shook his head and looked down._

"_Jake, please put the gun down…" Nick said quietly._

"_Did you guys sleep together?" Jake said as if having an epiphany. He changed his aim and pointed the gun at Dana. "You sleep with my brother?" Jake yelled. Nick lunged for the gun. Jake and Nick were struggling and tugging and pulling on the gun. Nick stood in between the gun and Dana and felt the barrel of the gun on his body. He pushed Jake against his counter and heard a pop and felt the most terrible white hot pain. Nick looked up at his brother with a great sadness in his eyes._

"_Jake…" Nick stammered out, looking down at his abdomen that started to bleed._

"_Nick!" _

"You know what I spent my whole life admiring you and trying to get you to like me. But, you know what I could care less now! Spend the rest of your life in jail see if I care!" Nick said harshly pointing a stern finger back at his brother.

"Nicholas!" Jillian squealed.

"You son of a bitch!" Jake said he lunged for Nick but Roger was able to step in and pull him back.

"Really?" Nick chuckled.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Jake cried angrily. "I saw you at every family reunion until I started seeing Dana. Selfish! Are you mad? Do you like her or are you eager for my seconds?"

"You're disgusting!" Nick said standing. "I'd rather chew on glass then have Dana." Nick shivered as he said her name. Catherine stood in front of Nick as of trying to shield him.

"Then why don't you like her? You spread all these terrible lies about her and will tell anyone who will listen how nasty she is but not me. Tell what your problem is..." he shouted.

"She molested me!" Nick shouted back immediately silencing his brother. An awkward silence engulfed the room and it awesome felt like the world was on mute.

_Nick stumbled back trying to slow the bleeding. He hit the wall and slid down as his legs started to get jelly. Nick felt weak all over and lightheaded. But it was an accident, Nick knew what to do so his brother wouldn't have to go to prison. Nick looked up from his wound to see his brother by his side aiming the gun at Dana before he could say anything he heard another pop and saw Dana fall._

"_Jake…" Nick yelled the best he could. "Jake… what are you doing?"_

"She… She what?" Jake asked feeling a tear stroll down his cheek.

"She molested me..." Nick said so softly and quietly, it made Catherine's heart sink along with his parents.

"What?"

"What? You want to tell you all the details! You want me to describe how it felt as she held me down..." Nick said as tears were strolling freely down his face. "Sorry I didn't want my big brother to marry the woman who ruined my childhood... Call me selfish now." Nick said crying. He felt himself starting to really lose it and walked out of the hotel room sobbing. He was reliving every moment of that disastrous night. Every agonizing second of her careless whispers, her groans, her demands, and her unwanted touches, replaying over and over in his mind.

_Nick starts to feel really lightheaded and started to panic as he watched his brother take out the back way. He was too far away to reach the phone and call for help. He could barely find the strength to yell for help. He tried to apply pressure but there was so much blood. It was free flowing over his hands with great ease._

"_Oh no…" Nick said as he started to find it hard to breath. Nick looks up and sees Catherine at the door._

"_Oh my god, Nick!" she says holstering her woman applying pressure to his wound causing him to groan loudly._

"Nick, I'm sorry!" Jake yelled, he felt disgusting. He slid down the wall clutching his knees to his chest depressed.

Catherine chased after reaching him just as he made it to her Tahoe. He was still crying but had composed a little.

"Nicky," she said turning him around so he would face her. His head was down ashamed and embarrassed. "You did great. I know that was hard." she said he wiped his eyes and nodded. "I'm sorry, Nicky." she said hugging him, feeling him breakdown again. She knew this was a long overdue cry, which Nick has needed.

* * *

><p>Sorry if it was difficult to read. What did you think?<p> 


	14. Have You Any Wool?

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch14: Have You Any Wool?

* * *

><p>Nick was silent the whole car ride. Even though he didn't speak, he looked extremely upset and anger. Catherine knew there was more to the story but didn't ask. She knew Nick was ready to explode but she also knew he was trying not to do it in front of her. As she pulled into her driveway, Nick flung the door open and threw up outside.<p>

Nick just wished he felt numb, like he had been all these years. His nerves felt like they were exploding, his anxiety was making him dizzy and the butterflies in his stomach made him physically ill. Nick never felt as out of touch of reality then he did now.

"Come on, Nicky." Catherine said putting a gentle hand on Nick's shoulder as he wiped his mouth.

"I can't do this, Cath." Nick said looking down like a scolded child.

"Nick..."

"I can't... If Jake doesn't take the plea bargain and this goes to trial... What if his lawyer asks..." Nick says nervous and scared, pausing for a brief moment to address his dry mouth. "Asks why I hate Dana or what happened? I can't..."

"Nicky, you didn't do anything wrong."

"It doesn't matter, everyone is going to find out! I can't do this. I can't testify."

"Nick, if you don't testify there is no case." Catherine said crossing her arms.

"At this point, Cath, I don't care." Nick said giving up.

"Let me call your family..."

"No!" Nick said really agitated, and startling Catherine. "Sorry, I mean... No."

"Nick, I feel like there is more to all this and I can't help you if you don't talk to me." Catherine said, Nick looked away and chuckled before grimacing in pain. "I'm serious, Nick. If you don't talk to me I'm bringing you to a therapist. This whole thing is extremely unhealthy."

"I know."

"So, what is it?" Catherine said, Nick bawled something fierce on his bottom lip. He started sweat as he debated telling Catherine what was on his mind.

"It's nothing..."

"Then just tell me."

"You will think it's dumb,"

"Test me," Catherine said quickly back. Nick has always admired Catherine's stubbornness to a point but didn't like it right now.

"After... After it happened. I tried to tell my ma and Cisco but I couldn't talk to them. They were never home. I started to act out in school and they pulled me from school and I went to a private military discipline school from fourth grade to eighth. They just whisked me away..." Nick said finally expressing his anger. "I already felt like an outcast after... What happened and then they did that. But they brought me back to public school so I could play sports and get a college scholarship. I lost all my trust in my parents, anytime I went to talk to them about something it got uncomfortable. I was their burden and they made that clear to me. That's why I moved away. That's why I gave you power of attorney. I do love my parents but not the way I should... Silly right?"

"No, Nick it's not."

"The funny part is. I hate going to the family reunions and stuff because I didn't have the same memories as the rest of my brothers and sisters and when

Jake started to see Dana that was the final straw I guess. I am the black sheep of my family, its funny."

"Why do you say that?"

"Have you notice after everything that has happened to me all the times my family came to help? The only reason they came for when I was buried and now is because someone else called. They didn't want to look like the cruel parents."

"I don't believe that Nick. I think she realizes now that she messed up and she's trying to fix it." Catherine said Nick shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. How many times can someone bend over backwards just to keep getting broken?" Nick asked.

That night Catherine had great trouble trying to fall asleep because she didn't know if Nick was sincere about his threat to not testify. Catherine could only imagine what Nick was feeling. In Catherine's mind more parts of Nick started to make sense while others didn't.

Nick's trust issues started to make sense and his emotional detachment that he had from his family. But how could Nick still be some happy after carrying the weight of those terrible secrets for so long. How could he not be insane, but it's Nick. That's just how Nick does things, he puts the memories away and acts like its didn't exist.

After Nick was buried alive he returned to work a week later smiling and joking around just like he had done before, except he was a little more risky and fearless. After he was shot he came to his next shift like nothing was wrong, but he was too risky almost reckless and Catherine helped him. And now, Catherine thought Nick was just about out of his mind.

Nick tossed and turned all night and the only reason he was able to sleep was because of the pain meds he was on. He had nightmares of what happened and dreams of his childhood.

Catherine woke up before Nick and started to do some cleaning. She was very quiet because Nick was on asleep on the couch. There was a loud knock and startled Nick and Catherine. Catherine ran to the door as Nick fell back asleep.

"Jake, what are you doing here?" Catherine said harshly stepping onto her porch, to speak with Jake.

"I got to talk to Nick,"

"No..." Catherine said blocking him from going in her house. "He needs to rest. What are you doing here?"

"I never knew she did... That, to him. I swear on everything, that I didn't know. If I did best believe I wouldn't have had anything to do with her." Jake pleaded. "I swear on my kids I never knew."

"How are your kids?"

"Fine, she never touched them." Jake said showing great relief.

"You lucked out. That's why Nick did what he did, he was trying to protect your kids."

"I know. I just want to tell him I'm sorry, and I know sorry doesn't even begin to cover everything that I did and have done but I love my little brother. So I took the plea. He won't have to testify... Just please tell him for me," Jake said smiling nervously. He released a deep breath before leaving. Catherine shook her, what a mess. She opened her door and Nick was standing there and by his face she knew he heard his brother.

"Nicky..." she said trying to read his expression.

"So what's going to happen now?"

* * *

><p>Probably only one more chapter. Tell me what you think so far?<p> 


	15. Sides

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch15: Sides

* * *

><p>Catherine wiped the sweat from Nick's face as beads of it started to drip down his face. His hair was matted to his face and his skin was clammy and Catherine felt that he had a fever. Nick was shivering and he was wrapped with several blankets. Catherine knew he had an infection and was just waiting on DB to get here so that she could help her get Nick to the hospital. Nick refused to go back to the hospital even now and Catherine knew he wouldn't go in on an ambulance.<p>

"Nicky," she said but his head had little shakes and all his muscles were spazzing then relaxing. The only reason why she didn't already call an ambulance was because Nick was conscious and kind of lucid. "come on, DB." Catherine said under her breath.

"I... Don't... I don't ... Feel well," Nick stuttered.

"we are going to get you help," she says she goes to get up to get the phone but Nick grabs her hand.

"don't leave me." he said scared. Catherine heard a knock on the door and felt a huge wave of relief.

"come in." she says it was DB, John William and Parker.

"how is he?" DB said.

"he can't keep anything down. He's gotten a lot worst since I called you." she says as John and Parker started to uncover Nick. His clothes were drenched with sweat.

"how do you want to do this?" Parker asked.

"big game." John said they sit Nick up and pick him up. Each having an arm and a leg in their grasp.

"Catherine call the hospital let them know we are on our way." DB says as Catherine rushes ahead to up the Tahoe door.

Nick never felt so sleepy and restless at the same time before. He felt his fever spike higher and started to see stuff. Everything sounded like it was warping like he was underwater. His vision was getting blurry and he recognized Catherine but then her face started to move like the ripples in water.

"I'm going... to go to sleep. Wake me up when... We get to the hospital..."

Nick says closing his eyes. He heard everyone in the car shouting but he couldn't stay awake his eyes were too heavy.

Nick woke up once they got to the hospital the light shocked him awake. He was seeing stars and was disoriented as the doctors loaded him on a gurney and pushed him into the emergency room away from his friends and family.

"he's got an infection." John said wiping his hands on his pants.

"but he's going to be alright though, right?" Parker said his southern accent so thick.

"they'll give him antibiotics and we will wait and see." John said but that did nothing for Parker's nerves which were in overdrive.

"I thought you all went back." Catherine said.

"Parker and I stayed. Emily is going to try to come back but everyone else went back home." John said he was the obvious diplomat of the family.

"except for Jake." Parker said angry.

"just relax, Parker." John said.

"I can't, John Billy! This shouldn't be happening!"

"you're right it shouldn't be, but it is. Why don't you take a seat so I can call momma?" John said patting his brother on the shoulder as Catherine and DB looked on. John walked away to call his mother.

"y'all two think he's going to be alright, right?" Parker asked worried.

Catherine and DB studied the young man's face he looked like he was a nervous wreck.

"we just have to think positive." Catherine said sitting next to Parker.

"Nick and I are only two years apart. He's like a best friend and I ain't tryin' to be cheesy neither." Parker said wiping his eyes and face, he took over his hat showing his set hat hair in his shaggy hair.

"I believe you." Catherine said smiling interested in another story about Nick's past.

"we went to the same military school when we were younger. Gosh, we hated that place." he chuckled running his fingers through his hair. "we were roommates 'cause momma thought we'd get homesick if we didn't. Yet she sent us to a school eight hours away." he shook his head remembering the long car rides back and forth. "and it was year round." he chuckled but then went stone cold when he saw Jake leaving the elevator.

"what are you doing here?" DB said.

"my mother called me." Jake defended.

"ain't no one want you here. Go on, get!" Parker said standing getting closer to Jake.

"sit down, Parker." Jake said.

"no, this is your fault. No one is speaking for Nick! You leave now." Parker said angry.

"I wanted to see Nick."

"No."

"I want him to talk at my sentencing hearing."

"you're a scumbag."

"who are you…" Jake started to say but was punched by Parker. Catherine pulled Parker away and DB stood in between the man as others looked on.

"what's going on?" John said in an authoritative voice. No one spoke, Parker nursed his hand as Jake held his jaw. "Parker, go clean yourself up."

"But..."

"Dammnit Parker!" John said very stern.

"come on, Parker." Catherine said taking Parker away.

"what are you doing here?" John said to Jake.

"mom called me."

"you know you shouldn't be here." John said quietly. "why don't you leave?" John said Jake nodded and quietly left. "sorry about the ruckus, Mr. Russell." he says DB remembers Nick saying the say thing when Nick and Jake fought.

"No, it's fine." DB said.

"I'm just trying to keep my family together. It's hard though when everyone is fighting every time they see each other. Or when your older shoots your younger brother. How do you keep a family together after all this?" John cried.

* * *

><p>"I ain't never hit no one in the face before, ma'am." Parker said shaking his hand.<p>

"I believe it." Catherine said as they walked down the hall to Nick's triage room.

"you want to know what I did to get sent away?" Parker asked Catherine nodded. "in second grade I fought the class bully a week after Nick got suspended for pulling the fire alarm. They pulled us both from school."

"that seems a little..."

"excessive... That's my mother. You know when Nick stopped coming to the reunions so did I. Every year instead of going to the reunion we hang out. Here, this is from last time we were together." Parker said showing a photo on his phone of him and Nick shirtless obviously drunk. Catherine chuckled, as they got closer to Nick's room. Parker walked in first and was relieved to see Nick was a lot better.

"Parker..." Nick said tired.

"hey Nick, how you feeling?"

"a lot better..." Nick said fighting to stay awake.

"you lyin' sack of sh... Crap." Parker said both the men laughed.

"Nick, you didn't tell me that you and Parker went to the same school."

Catherine added.

"Marine Military Academy." Nick said chuckling. "Take command of your life." the men said together and then laughed.

"Jake just left." John said entering the room.

"why was Jake here?"

"don't worry about it." Parker said.

* * *

><p>Probably only a couple more chapters.<p> 


	16. Extraordinary

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch16: Extraordinary

* * *

><p>Nick was flicking through the channels as the nurse was changing his IV bags. Nick was going stir crazy with boredom as he flicks through the channels with no real goal.<p>

"How do you feel, Mr. Stokes?" the nurse asks as she takes his temperature.

"Peachy..." he says putting the thermometer in his mouth.

"What's in these bags?" Parker asked looking at the bags on Nick's IV stand.

"Antibiotics, some medicine, and saline," the nurse said. "The fever went down." Parker sat down in the chair covering his face with his hat.

"So does this mean I get to leave soon?" Nick asked sitting up.

"With your track record that's unfortunately a no."

"What do you mean my track record?" Nick asked offended. Catherine put her hand on his shoulder trying to calm her aggravated friend.

"Sir, you left the hospital and in previous visits you have been combative." the nurse said.

"Combative?" Nick said angry.

"It's a side effect of the medicine." the nurse said as Nick continued to ramble on. "Mr. Stokes, I'm going to give you some more pain medicine." Nick became instantly calmer as the meds began to work. "I'll check on you in a couple hours."

"Whatever..." Nick said covering his face with his arm in a similar fashion he did when he woke up from his coma.

"Nick, you have to relax." Catherine said as Nick mumbled to himself.

"I'll show... them combative... I hate... This stupid... Hospital... Smells..." Nick said falling asleep.

"Oh Poncho..." John said as Nick began to snore. "We always had to worry about these two. Miss Willows, have you ever had one of those moments where you had to make a decision quickly but can't?"

"Sure, I guess..." Catherine said eager to hear another Stokes story. John motioned for Catherine to follow him so that they wouldn't disturb his sleeping brothers.

"Parker and Nick didn't grow up at the house and by the time they came back home I was getting ready to go off to school. They had different memories, my other siblings and I, we are thinkers but Nick and Parker act."

_28 years earlier…_

_"Are you guys excited to be home?" John asked his younger brothers. They had been home for little over a week and John felt like no one had been trying to talk to them. They were like strangers in their own home. Up until now, the boys had only been up for holidays even summers were spent at their grandparents while the others didn't. Even now they were getting signed up for sports and continuing their military discipline with the young marines. The boys woke up earlier then everyone else went on a run and throughout the day they kept to themselves._

_"I guess..." Nick said looking into the pit as his everyone watched the new bull roam. At the Stokes ranch they had many pets most of whom they were responsible for breaking in to give away to other farms or organizations._

_"So how was school?" John asked again as the boys looked disinterested in everything. Nick and Parker both held onto the gate watching the bull, there plaid shirts tucked into their jeans with their big Texas buckle with their worn cowboy boots. The only thing they were missing was a Stetson that everyone else had._

_"Good." Parker said turning his attention back to the bull._

_"Your school was an all boy school?" John asked looking away but he finally got the boys attention._

_"Yeah, why?" Nick asked._

_"Because public schools have girls." John said and both the boys smiled and blushed._

_"Are they pretty?" Parker asked eager. Nick hopped up on the gate to sit._

_"Oh yeah." John said, the boys smiled at each other. As Parker and John were talking about the girls in cheerleading, drama club, and the girls to say clear of. Nick watched as his younger cousin, Abby, chased a butterfly unbeknownst to her parents as she got closer the bull pit. Nick watched as little Abby treated the bars of the pit like a jungle gym and climbed in._

"_Oh dang, Park." Nick said tapping on Parker's shoulder. Parker and John looked on as there small cousin still chasing the butterfly meeting the thick muddy puddles._

"_Oh gosh. Abby!" John yelped nervous as Parker and Nick climbed inside. "Wait, what are you doing?" John yelled at Parker and Nick as they whispered in each other's ears. Everyone had now turned and saw Nick and Parker in the pit but they didn't see Abby._

"_Nicholas and Parker, get out of that pit!" Jill, their mother, yelled. The boys ignored her._

"_Ready?" Nick asked as his breathing picked up as his adrenaline started to roar through his young veins. Parker nodded. "Hey, Mr. Bull." Nick yelled as Parker snuck out around the gate getting closer to their small cousin who had just realized the severity of where she is, and let out a cry. The cry got the attention of her parents and Nick's parents._

"_Abigail!" his aunt yelled crying. The bull started walking closer to Abby, who was riddled with tears and fear. The bull ignored Nick's calls and continued to walk toward her. Nick sprinted towards the bull slapping its behind, getting the bull's full attention while Parker grabbed Abby. Parker ran and climbed out, as Nick sprinted frantically around as the bull was right on his tails._

"_Hurry up, Parker." Nick yelled as he got muddy as he approached the opposite of the pit. All Nick could imagine was getting one of these horns lodged in his back or being stomped beyond recognition. Nick jumped hoping to be able to clear the fence but the bull gave him a little push sending him soaring over the fence. Nick landed on his feet but stumbled and fell._

"_You alright, Nick?" Parker said helping him up as they both panted._

"_Yeah." Nick said giving Parker a high five as they felt the high of the adrenaline rush._

"_Are you boys alright?" Roger asked as the adults ran over to the kids._

"_Yes sir." The boys said in unison._

"_Good work." Roger said leaving to check on his niece._

"_That was crazy! You guys are awesome!" John said high fiving and chest pumping both the boys. "I can't believe that. Too cool."_

"I tell you, Ms. Willows. It was the most extraordinary thing I've ever seen. Nick was fourteen I think and Parker was only twelve. Even to this day I don't think you would see me in there." John said as he sipped his coffee on the bench adjacent to Nick's room.

"I can honestly say that I've seen your brother do amazing things, above and beyond what is expected." Catherine said holding her cup of coffee.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"I know, my brother, is a stubborn person to say the least. I appreciate you looking out for him the way you have. I know he values your friendship so if he doesn't tell you I want to make sure that I do, because I know this has been crazy and we've asked a lot out of you. Thank you." John said smiling.

* * *

><p>Please Review! I'm sorry for the wait, I hope a <em>Stokes Story<em> made it better. Who wants to see Nick confront, Dana? probably only two chapters. Please Review!


	17. Peace

Unfortunate Reunion

Please Review!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Them!

Ch17: Peace

* * *

><p>3 weeks later...<p>

* * *

><p>Nick stepped out of the shower and looked at his torso. He touched his pink scar that ran through the dot like scar which caused it all. Nick started to get dress for court. Luckily he only had two suits so the decision of what to wear would be an easy one. It would also be the only easy decision that he would be able to make today. His hands shook as he tried to button his light blue shirt, although he wasn't as nervous as he thought he would be.<p>

Today was Jake's sentencing hearing and Nick didn't know whether or not if he was going to speak. There were also rumors that Dana was going to be there because she would be facing federal charges. Nick was nervous to face the both of them if he had too. He didn't feel scared, or angry, or even upset... Just nervous maybe even a little anxious.

Nick's hands shook too much for him to even attempt to tie his tie. He took his coffee from the pot and walked to his Denali. Nick unlocked his car and started to drive to the courthouse waving to the little boy that was his neighbor. Nick scanned through the radio stations not finding anything that eased his nerves or suited his interest. He parks in the garage and heads towards the busy steps of the courthouse.

"Hey Nicky," Catherine says standing up from the bench.

"Hey Cath," Nick said finishing his coffee.

"How do you feel today, Nicky?" Catherine said tying his tie. Nick looked away and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Is she here?" Nick asked still looking away. "Dana? Is she here?" Nick asked slowly turning his gaze towards Catherine almost hoping she wouldn't answer.

"I saw her earlier." Catherine said padding Nick's chest. "You sure you still want to do this?"

"I have too," Nick says squinting at the sun light. It was a gorgeous day outside, the sun shining and the sky the lightest blue it has been in a while. Nick bit at his lip as a small gust of wind blew. "I've already let this eat at me long enough. I have to do this."

"Alright." Catherine said smiling nervously at Nick. They walked up the marble steps into the courthouse and went straight to the holding cells that were in the basement. Nick and Catherine signed the visitors log and Nick froze in the entrance way his hands shook again. "Nick, it is fine. I'm here for you."

"I know..." Nick said as he slowly started to walk for his fists clinched tight and his brain reminding him to breathe so he didn't pass out. He didn't want Dana to think that she still had this control in him.

Then he saw her. She didn't see him but he saw her. She looked like nothing Nick had expected. The tricks Nick's mind had played on him had him expecting medusa's evil sister. Her straggly blonde hair was almost tamed as it framed her small face. He was taller than her, something he hadn't noticed until now. She was busy adjusting her business jacket in the mirror. This woman stole his childhood. This woman changed Nick's life in a way he couldn't imagine.

Nick had trusted virtually no one as a child that followed him right into adulthood. He wasn't too keen on the idea of having kids, he saw himself better as an uncle. But none of that matters now or maybe it will change. But what was he hoping to gain after talking to her. But there she was...

"Hello Nick," she says bringing him back to reality. "I didn't think I was going to see you today..." she says applying makeup.

"I could say the same," Nick says wiping a tear not wanting to give her the satisfaction.

"What do I owe this pleasure too?"

"The pleasure is all mine. I've waited so many years to see this..." Nick said getting closer to the bars.

"The pleasure will be mine. When my attorney calls you to the stand and I get to relive all the special moments between us." she says smiling at him holding the bars that separated them.

"I'm not scared of you. I'm not scared of what could happen. If it means that you will never hurt another little boy again."

"You're all talk." she says jostling her hair. "No one is going to convict me.

I'm an upstanding member of society, I'm a good person, and I'm..."

"You're forgetting pedophile, predator... Should I continue?" Nick said but Dana remained quiet giving Nick great satisfaction. "There's a special place in hell for you and people like you. I'm not your victim anymore. You're not going to terrorize my life or any other little boys'. I'm not going to dwell on this anymore but rather I'm going to celebrate this moment. I'm free. Have fun in prison." Nick said smiling at her as the worst fear came over her face as all the prisoners looked at her. Nick and Catherine left and Nick took a seat on the bench feeling like his heart was going to pound out of his chest. Nick felt the biggest weight lift off his shoulders and his soul. He scratched nervously at the back of his head.

"You did good Nick. That took a lot of balls." Catherine said frank causing her and Nick to laugh.

"Thanks Cath." Nick chuckled.

"You ready to go tackle the second head on this beast." Catherine said putting a supportive hand on Nick's back.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Nick said standing up as the two of them moved towards the elevator.

"Are you going to give a statement?" she asked him. Nick scratched his chin still feeling excited about what had just happened.

"I don't know." Nick said releasing a deep breath.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah..." Nick said smiling. His smile was different than any other one that she had ever seen before but it was a good different. Nick felt like he had to tell Catherine everything that had happened that dreadful night as he felt himself reliving every moment as they were in the courthouse elevator. "It all started when she asked me if I wanted to play a game." Nick says as if forcing himself to speak as his brain played the memory one last time.

"_You wanna play a game, Nick?" Dana asked picking up Nick's soup bowl from the living room._

"_No, I'm really tired. I think I'm just going to go to bed." Nick said walking to his bedroom. He pulled the covers back and laid down preparing for all the cold medicine to allow him to sleep for days. Nick felt himself drifting off to a welcomed sleep._

_Then all of a sudden Nick felt someone's full weight on his chest and felt like he couldn't breathe. He opened his eyes and saw his babysitter on top of him naked, as she tried to take his pajama pants off._

"_What are you doing?" Nick asked kicking and flailing his arms trying anything to get away and her off of him. Dana remained quiet as she pulled off his Star Warz pants and his little briefs. "Please! Don't!" Nick cried as streams of tears ran down his cheek causing his pillow to get wet._

"After… After she was done. She told me that if I ever told anyone that no one would believe me because I was a dirty little boy and things like that don't happen to boys. She said that my mom would cry and hate me, and that my dad would think I was a pansy." Nick said finding his mouth dry but gave no tears. He didn't want Dana to get the satisfaction of him crying anymore.

"This isn't going to go away over night, Nicky. You'll have to work at it." Catherine said, Nick nodded as they walked into the courtroom for his brother's sentencing. Nick already felt a lot better. He started to think that Catherine lied about being at peace but now he finally felt it.

* * *

><p>Please Review! Nick is on the fence about speaking at his brother's sentencing hearing. If you were Nick what would you do? What would you say? Please let me know<p> 


End file.
